Barkly West is a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, situated on the north bank of the Vaal River west of Kimberley.

This Dutch name means "stony ford" and is a direct translation from a much older !Kora or Korana name, Ka-aub (or !a |aub) - "stony (place along a) river".

[2] Briefly the Klipdrift Diggers' Republic was declared (the town assuming the name Parkerton after President Stafford Parker), before colonial rule was extended here.

[3] During the Anglo-Boer War the town was occupied by Boer forces and temporarily went by the name Nieuw Boshof.

[4] Barkly West is sometimes erroneously spelled as "Barkley-West" (even in road signage).