Hopefield is a settlement in West Coast District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa on the R45[2] between Malmesbury and Vredenburg.

[3] The Dutch Reformed congregation (Zoute Rivier) was established in December 1851 after farmers donated money towards its construction[4][3] and the town was founded in 1852 on the farm Langekuil.

It became a municipality in 1914, and was named after two people who laid it out, Major William Hope, Auditor-General, and a Mr Field.

Another important fossil locality, Elandsfontein (not to be confused with the town and railway station in Gauteng), is found about 13 km (8.1 mi) southwest of Hopefield.

[8] In earlier years Hopefield was considered the capital of the West Coast, with banks, filling stations and multiple other shops and businesses.