The little town of Duncan lies 60 km (37 mi.) north of Victoria on TransCanada Highway 1, and is the hub of the island's timber processing industry. The first settlement of the Cowichan Valley took place in 1887. The town itself came into existence in 1912 when greater numbers of settlers were attracted to the area by the discovery of what turned out to be limited copper and coal deposits at nearby Mt Sicker. Today only abandoned mines and the remains of buildings and camps bear witness to the short lived "boom". From Mt Prevost there are splendid views.
The Native Heritage Center on the western outskirts of Duncan is well worth visiting. You can see totem poles being carved and baskets being woven, and sometimes traditional north-west coast Indian dancing.
Quw'utsun Cultural Centre is a living-history museum and gallery dedicated to preserving the culture of the Northwest Coast Indians.
Address: Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre, 200 Cowichan Way, Duncan, BC , Canada
Phone: 1 (250) 746-8119, Fax: 1 (250) 746-4143
Hours:
April 16 to September 30: 10am-4pm; Closed: Sun, Sat
The open-air, 40 ha (99 acre), British Columbia Forest Museum (about 2 km (11/4 mi.) north of Duncan provides a vivid introduction to the history and development of the timber industry - from the first primitive logging camps, a 100 year old sawmills and old steam engines of yesteryear to the cellulose factories and paper mills of today. There is even an old narrow-gauge railway.
Address: British Columbia Forest Museum, 2892 Drinkwater Road, Duncan, BC V9L6C2, Canada
Phone: 1 (250) 715-1113, Fax: 1 (250) 715-1170
Large numbers of Cowichan Indians, a coast Salish tribe, still live in and around Duncan. They gray and white sweaters they craft from home-spun wool make very sought-after presents.
From near Duncan, Hwy. 18 heads westwards to Cowichan Lake (31 km (19 mi.)), the largest freshwater lake on the island. Posted at various viewpoints along the way are boards with information about the local forestry. Cowichan Lake Village is a good place from which to set out on the 75 km (47 mi.) drive round the lake.
Address: Cowichan Lake Visitor Info Center, 125C South Shore Road, Box 824, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R2G0, Canada
Phone: 1 (250) 749-3244, Fax: 1 (250) 749-0187
Pacific Northwest Raptors is home to all types of raptors, such as, Falcons, Bald Eagles, Owls and Hawks. There are daily flight demonstrations by raptors and visitors can interact with a variety of birds as they show their flight skills out in the open.
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Chemainus, Duncan
Thetis Island, Chemainus
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