BC Forest Discovery Centre

G.E. (Gerry) Wellburn, a collector, was the founder of the Centre which opened in 1965 as the Cowichan Valley Forest Museum. It was later known for a time as the BC Forest Museum.

There are indoor and outdoor exhibits spread over a 100-acre (40 ha) site, including operating steam and diesel rail equipment plus logging trucks. There are forest and nature trails, picnic area, playground, gift shop and a concession. At the Centre visitors can explore a reconstructed logging camp, forest fire lookout tower and the ranger's station.

The centre has its own heritage railway, a train pulled by a century-old steam locomotive which was once used in the filling in of the North Vancouver harbour. Along the route is one of the first pre-fabricated school houses, a trestle over Somenos Lake and an operational water wheel.

The Forest Discovery Centre has seven steam locomotives in its collection:

1. Mayo Lumber Company No. 3 Shay (class B) (was on loan to Kettle Valley Steam Railway 1995–2009)^[3][4][5]
2. Hillcrest Lumber Company No. 1 Shay (class B) (3 ft or 914 mm gauge)^[6]
3. Bloedel Stewart and Welch Shay (class B) No. 1 (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in or 1,435 mm standard gauge)^[7]
4. Shawnigan Lake Lumber No. 2 Climax (class B) (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge)^[8]
5. Hillcrest Lumber Company No. 9 Climax (class B) (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge) – the only operational Climax locomotive in Canada)^[9]
6. Cowichan Valley Railway No. 24 Vulcan 0-4-0T "Suzie" (3 ft gauge)^[10]
7. Cowichan Valley Railway No. 25 Vulcan 0-4-0T "Samson" (3 ft gauge)^[11]

In addition, these diesel locomotives are also part of the collection:

1. Cowichan Valley Railway No. 23 "Sandy" Plymouth 8-short-ton (7.1-long-ton; 7.3 t) ^[12]
2. Cowichan Valley Railway No. 27 "Handy Andy" speeder^[13]
3. British Columbia Forest Products No. 9 Whitcomb Locomotive Works (80-short-ton or 71-long-ton or 73-tonne 0-4-4-0 diesel)^[14]

• Collection
• 
  Bloedel Stewart & Welch No. 1 (Shay)
• 
  Hillcrest Lumber Company No. 9 (Climax)
• 
  Cowichan Valley Railway No. 23 "Sandy"
• 
  Cowichan Valley Railway No. 25 "Samson"
• 
  HLC No. 1 Shay over Somenos Lake trestle

The site has a reconstructed fire watch tower, which offers a commanding view of the site and nearby Somenos Marsh.

The Centre borders the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge^[15] and Ducks Unlimited pond. Many types of water fowl and other birds can be found in this area. Red-eared slider turtles can be found sunning in the field next to the marsh.

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