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Mayne Island (population: 1,112) lies about midway between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia. The island provides a great holiday retreat, with beautiful beaches at Village Bay, Miners Bay, Oyster Bay, and Piggott Bay, challenging hiking at Mount Parke Regional Park, and many art galleries and studios. Mayne Island's geographical location made it a natural rest-stop for miners on en route from Victoria to the Cariboo gold fields in the late 1850s and early 1860s. Significant settlement of the island began during the 19-century, and many of the community’s preserved buildings and historic sites date back to this era. The island's most prominent heritage buildings are the 1892 Springwater Lodge, 1898 St. Mary Magdalene Church, 1885 Georgina Point Lighthouse, and 1896 Plumper Pass Lock Up. Today, Mayne has a distinctly rural character. Small developed areas are dispersed along narrow, thickly forested country roads. Mayne Island can be accessed via BC Ferries, floatplane or private boat.
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