Oviston Nature Reserve, Nature reserve on Lake Gariep, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Oviston Nature Reserve covers about 16,000 hectares along the southern shore of Lake Gariep, stretching from the dam wall west to the Bethulie railway bridge east. The land is semi-desert: open grassland with low koppies, hot days and cold nights. It is managed by Eastern Cape Parks.

The land was bought by the state for the construction of the Gariep Dam. In 1968, the Department of Agricultural Credit and Land Tenure and Water Affairs ceded control of the property to the provincial authorities, who established the reserve. A memorandum has been drafted by the MECs of the three provinces to join the Oviston, Tussen-die-Riviere and Gariep reserves into a conservation area exceeding 85,000 hectares.

The reserve lies in South Africa's "Big Sky" country, where vast open grassland with low koppies stretches to the horizon. Oviston, the small town at its edge, was built to house workers who dug the Orange-Fish River Tunnel, which carries Orange River water to the Fish River catchment. The tunnel was completed in 1971.

The reserve is accessible by car and offers several places to stay, from lodges to campgrounds. Visitors should bring plenty of water, sun protection, and appropriate clothing for the dry, hot conditions.

The reserve shows how a major dam project transformed the surrounding landscape and created new habitats for wildlife. The meeting point between the lake and the dry inland creates an interesting transition zone worth exploring.