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Alberni Valley Adventures
Alberni Pacific Railway
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Alberni Valley Adventures
Harbour Quay Clock Tower
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unknown
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Alberni Valley Adventures
Maritime Discovery & Lighthouse from Harbour Quay
Darren Willis photo
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Alberni Valley Adventures
McLean Mill
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Alberni Valley Adventures
McLean Mill
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Boomer Jerritt
Steam Train
Boomer Jerritt photo
By Frank Holm
There’s far more to the Alberni Valley than filling the gas tank and the tummy before heading for Long Beach. Some travelers don’t even know there’s a second part, like another city, southwards, along the harbour. So after Rathtrevor, Parksville, and Qualicum beaches, the Goats-On-The-Roof Market and Butterfly World in Coombs, what is there near and in Port Alberni?
For fun in the sun, let’s begin with beaches. You can judge how hot it is in the city by how many people are cooling off at nearby beaches on Cameron Lake. If you’d rather beat the heat then mosey on down to the south end of Cameron Lake to Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park. Here you can hike the trails among the ancient 800-year-old giants in this unique old-growth forest.
The southern section of the city lies on the Alberni Inlet and provides access to the western shores of Vancouver Island via boat to Nitinat and Bamfield, passing the China Creek Marina and Campground. The main street to the harbour, Argyle St., ends at Harbour Quay, a Granville Island-like park. Just south of it is the Maritime Discovery Centre, where nautical history and materials are displayed. Built from a true to life coastal lighthouse, this building and the companion Hutcheson Gallery feature unique maritime exhibits including a tsunami display, Neptune fibre-optic offshore underwater observatory, and the history of local shipping. The Centre’s wharf allows easy viewing of the deep-sea harbour and freighter loading.
At the start of the Harbour Quay is the Francis Barkley wharf. This tourist-carrying pocket freighter makes day trips out the Alberni Inlet, to Bamfield or to Ucluelet, with many stops along the scenic route.
Just before Harbour Quay is the old railway station. From it in the summer season, Thursdays to Sundays, a five-coach passenger steam train runs to the McLean Mill further north in the valley. The mill is the last steam-powered commercial sawmill left running in Canada. Besides experiencing lumber cutting, you’ll see blacksmithing, a heritage village, and the only steam donkey with spar tree demonstration in Canada. Never heard of a steam donkey? Prepare to be amazed.
The mill has several pieces of restored logging equipment like trucks, graders and lumber carriers, but even more vehicles are on display at the railway station and at the Industrial Heritage Centre in town. Old trucks, tractors, dozers, and machinery are constantly being restored for display.
North of McLean Mill is Stamp Falls Provincial Park, with campsites and an amazing October show of migrating salmon up the waterfalls. The Stamp River is known for river tubing, and for winter steelhead fishing. In the harbour and inlet there’s diving, kayaking, and windsurfing. Every Labour Day Weekend is the Salmon Festival, with its derby and salmon barbeque. The town was awarded the title of ‘The Ultimate Fishing Town’ in 2010 by the World Fishing Network. Located on the long arm of an ocean inlet with many rivers flowing into it, the region has an abundance of world-class freshwater and saltwater fishing.
Back in the city, at Echo Centre, is the Alberni Valley Museum. It has a great collection of native artifacts, pioneer materials, and an annual display – this year it is art of the region.
The many logging roads are mountain bikers’ and ATV’ers’ dreams. There are dozens of day trip hikes. The Log Train Trail is a pleasant bike or hike. For more serious hikers there is Mt. Arrowsmith to the east in Mt Arrowsmith Massif Regional Park and no serious hiker should miss the trek to Della Falls in Strathcona Park, the highest waterfall in Canada to the northwest.
At nearby warm Sproat Lake there are houseboats for rent, the Mars Waterbombers, and Sproat Lake Provincial Park, with its beaches, petroglyphs, and campsites. Feel like getting high? Just a few minutes north is the Alberni Valley Regional Airport, where glider rides are available or if power is more your speed try the drag races in mid-August.
The Alberni Valley’s central location makes it a great home base to experience Vancouver Island. There truly is something for everyone.
For more information, stop at the tourist information centre, or visit online at www.avcoc.com (1-250-724-6535) or www.AlberniHeritage.com (1-855-866-1376).