Newcastle Island Provincial Park
Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Newcastle Island Provincial Park

Newcastle Island Park is a recreation island destination located 100 metres off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada near the community of Nanaimo, BC. The island is a popular hiking, beach and camping retreat only accessed by boat, kayak or pedestrian ferry.

There are picnic facilities and a pavilion on the island. The island facilities include a day-use/picnic area with a playground, picnic tables, information shelter, swimming beach, toilets, horseshoe pits and a large grassy area. In the summer there are food concession stands, a gift shop and an interpretive centre with programs and guides.

On the island there are 22 kilometres of hiking trails. The hiking trails explore, mostly, under a forest cover of Douglas Fir, Garry Oak, Dogwood and Arbutus trees. The trails lead to some amazing viewpoints and sightseeing opportunities visiting beaches, caves, cliffs and caverns.

There is tent camping on the island. From the dock follow the trail leading to the campground. It is a hike-in only campsite. There are hot showers, fresh running water, food caches, flush and pit toilets.

The ferry ride is only 10 minutes long but it travels cautiously and slowly as the passage between Vancouver Island and Newcastle Island is a very busy marine channel with many sailboats, motor boats and yachts. Some of them are moored in open water while others are making their way, to and from, the many marinas located up and down the coastline.

Newcastle Island Provincial Park is rich in history. It has gone through many changes. The island was once home to the First Nation people, a fish salting plant, a shipyard, a sandstone quarry, a high society dance pavilion and a coal mining operation. There are still some remains on the island of two old historic buildings from the First Nation's Salish tribe. The buildings were abandoned in 1849 when the coal industry moved to the island.

In 1931 Newcastle Island became a party place for the rich. People would travel to the island for large, high society social gatherings. To accommodate the large parties the people in the region built a dance pavilion, tea house, picnic area, a wading pool and change houses.

The reputation of the island parties grew. Soon the demand created a need for accommodations. It was then that the people of the region brought in a decommissioned ship. The ship was tied up to the dock and became the hotel of Newcastle Island. When World War 2 started there was no time for parties and Newcastle Island became quiet again.

How to Get to Newcastle

Travel to the community of Nanaimo, BC. In downtown Nanaimo (near Harbour Park Mall) a ferry operates from the Maffeo-Sutton Park transporting passengers to the island.