In South Africa continuous Holocene terrestrial records of past environmental change derived from organic wetland sequences under constant ground water supply are rarely preserved. We present a new refined pollen record from a previously published Braamhoek Core (AH1) in the eastern Free State Highland (Norström et al. 2009). The sample resolution over the upper 130cm have been improved with > 40 additional samples focusing on the last 10200 years of the 16 000 cal yr BP record. An obviously cool period is indicated between 10200 and 8000 cal yrs BP by abundant fynbos (Ericaceae, Stoebe-type) and Gunnera pollen followed by higher undifferentiated Asteraceae and an increase of C4 plants as indicated by carbon isotope ratios, which indicate an increase of temperature in a sedge dominated wetland between 8000 and 1500 cal yrs BP. Asteraceae then declined until ca. 200 cal yrs BP, probably indicating a more humid period, whereas the pollen sizes suggest that Phragmites increased from 300 cal yrs BP. This increase might be connected to human disturbances since the first pine pollen are noted during that period. The continuousness of the sequence as well as the robust age-depth model makes this record a valuable contribution in terms of placing paleo-environmental changes that took place in eastern South Africa in regional and global perspectives.