BC Forest Discovery Centre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
BC Forest Discovery Centre

Hillcrest Lumber Company #1, a class B Shay locomotive
Established	1964
Location	2892 Drinkwater Road, Duncan, British Columbia
Type	Forestry Museum

The BC Forest Discovery Centre is a fun and educational place located in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada. It teaches visitors all about the history of logging in British Columbia. This amazing outdoor museum covers 100 acres, which is about the size of 75 football fields! You can even ride a special train on 2.5 kilometers (about 1.5 miles) of narrow gauge railway.

The Centre's Story

The BC Forest Discovery Centre first opened its doors in 1965. It was started by G.E. (Gerry) Wellburn, who loved collecting things related to forestry. When it first opened, it was called the Cowichan Valley Forest Museum. Later, it was known for a while as the BC Forest Museum.

What You Can Explore

The Centre has many cool things to see, both inside and outside. It's spread out over 100 acres. You can see old steam and gas trains, plus big logging trucks. There are also beautiful forest trails and nature paths to walk on.

Fun Activities and Exhibits

Visitors can enjoy a picnic area and a playground. There's also a gift shop to find souvenirs and a concession stand for snacks. You can explore a recreated logging camp, which shows what life was like for loggers long ago. There's also a forest fire lookout tower and a ranger's station to discover.

Riding the Heritage Railway

One of the most exciting parts is riding the Centre's own heritage railway. The train is pulled by a very old steam locomotive. This locomotive was once used to help fill in the harbour in North Vancouver. Along the train ride, you'll see one of the first pre-made school houses. You'll also cross a trestle (a type of bridge) over Somenos Lake and see a working water wheel.

Amazing Locomotives

The Forest Discovery Centre has a fantastic collection of old trains. They have seven different steam locomotives! These powerful machines were once used to pull logs out of the forest.

Steam Locomotives

• Mayo Lumber Company #3 Shay (a special type of steam engine)
• Hillcrest Lumber Company #1 Shay (this one runs on a 3-foot wide track)
• Bloedel Stewart and Welch Shay #1 (this one runs on a standard 4-foot, 8.5-inch wide track)
• Shawnigan Lake Lumber #2 Climax (another type of steam engine, also standard gauge)
• Hillcrest Lumber Company #9 Climax (this is the only working Climax locomotive in all of Canada!)
• Cowichan Valley Railway #24 Vulcan 0-4-0T "Suzie" (this one runs on a 3-foot wide track)
• Cowichan Valley Railway #25 Vulcan 0-4-0T "Samson" (also runs on a 3-foot wide track)

Diesel Locomotives

Besides the steam engines, the Centre also has some diesel locomotives:

• Cowichan Valley Railway #23 "Sandy" Plymouth (an 8-ton diesel engine)
• Cowichan Valley Railway #27 "Handy Andy" speeder (a small vehicle used on railway tracks)
• British Columbia Forest Products #9 Whitcomb Locomotive Works (a large 80-ton diesel engine)

• Collection
• 

  Bloedel Stewart & Welch #1 (Shay)

• 

  Hillcrest Lumber Company #9 (Climax)

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  Cowichan Valley Railway #23 "Sandy"

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  Cowichan Valley Railway #25 "Samson"

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  HLC #1 Shay over Somenos Lake trestle

Exploring the Site and Nature

The Centre has a rebuilt fire watch tower. From the top, you get an amazing view of the whole site and the nearby Somenos Marsh.

Wildlife at the Centre

The Centre is right next to the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge. This area is home to many different kinds of water fowl and other birds. You might even spot Red-Eared Slider turtles sunning themselves in the field near the marsh.

Two bald eagles have built a nest in the trees west of the North Cowichan Station. These eagles successfully raised baby eaglets in 2006. They had moved from a different nest site the summer before. You can often see the eagle nest best from the flag pole outside the Wellburn Building.

See also

• List of heritage railways in Canada
• List of museums in Canada