The Magaliesberg mountains are more than two billion years old - one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet - and the book traces their creation and the changes in the landscape over this vast passage of time. The ancient geomorphology has given rise to a wide spectrum of different habitats and a consequent diversity of plant and animal life. The book's extensive descriptions of the fauna and flora of the area inspire the reader to consider the impact that man has on his environment.

Each of the main plant and animal groups - trees, flowers, birds, mammals, reptiles and insects - has a chapter devoted to it with checklists of every species found in the area indicating both the scientific as well as common names.

The Magaliesberg by Vincent Carruthers was first published in 1990. A second edition was published in 2000 and reprinted in 2007. It has now been revised again for publication to coincide with the international proclamation of the Magaliesberg Biosphere. The book has been highly successful and is a valuable source of information about the Magaliesberg, its geology, biodiversity and human history.