Quality built custom 1,800 ft2 timber frame, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom + loft. Detached workshop and carport situated on 12 private acres with subdivision potential. Complete comfort for year-round living.
Foreign Buyer Ban does not apply to this property
+27 photos
De Courcy Island is situated 4 kilometres east of Vancouver Island just south of Nanaimo. Primary access is by your own boat via marinas on Vancouver Island or Gabriola Island. There is no ferry service which is part of the charm.
While De Courcy Island is only accessible by water, there is an interior road network that links each of the residential properties. This roadway allows for easy loading and unloading from Pirate’s Cove. Many residents on the island have vehicles that can be easily brought onto the island by semi-regular barge service.
De Courcy Island gives its name to the De Courcy group of islands which consist, from north to south, of Mudge Island, Link Island, De Courcy Island, Ruxton Island and Pylades Island. This island group runs parallel to the east coast of Vancouver Island inside the protection of the larger Gabriola Island and Valdes Island.
The island is easily accessible from Vancouver Island just south of Nanaimo from Boat Harbour or Gabriola Island. Due to no public transportation, the island is a hidden gem for those that have had the opportunity to visit.
Privacy is key. Not only is the island secluded in nature given the property size of over 12 acres, its more likely to see wildlife than people.
Most of the land is left in a natural state, there are two ponds and the property is primarily forested with Douglas fir, arbutus, maple and alder. There are several giant old growth firs.
A cleared area surrounds the improvements and lets in ample sunshine.
Constructed on the property is a well-constructed, open concept, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom plus loft timber frame home which was finished around 2017. This home was largely from timber from the cleared area surrounding the home. Although the property is off-grid, you wouldn’t know it. It has all the systems in place to make life seamless as if you were connected to the grid. Everything is setup for year-round living in comfort.
A generous sized detached workshop is ideal for wood working, hobbies or even a private studio or work space.
Russell’s landing is a protected, friendly, well managed marina which is a short distance from the property with parking, a loading area for boats and vehicles, options for visitor moorage, and delivery services on island. The marina is the true hub of De Courcy Island.
Russell Hall serves as the community fire hall and gathering place for community events. Halloween, New Years, Thanksgiving lamb roast and the annual community annual general meeting are just a few of the island social events.
Decourcy Island is located in Northumberland Channel, between Nanaimo and Valdes Island, 16 kilometres southeast of Nanaimo. Decourcy Island is accessed by private boat or float plane. It is approximately 15-20 minutes by boat from Nanaimo's Boat Harbour, 15 minutes by boat to Ladysmith, or 20 minutes by float plane from Vancouver.
Gulf Island Seaplanes 1-800-665-2359
Seair Seaplanes 1-800-447-3247
Harbour Air Seaplanes 1-800-665-0212
Ocean Air Floatplanes 1-866-655-1144
Nanaimo Ocean Adventure 1-250-740-5800
Contact Listing Agent.
Like many of the Gulf Islands, De Courcy Island contains an interesting mixture of plants, some coastal and some more typically found in the dry interior of BC. Rocky Mountain juniper, satin flower and poison oak are all species that are much more widely spread in the interior than they are on the coast, but they thrive here in the dry summers of De Courcy Island.
One of the Gulf Islands' most popular marine parks, Pirates Cove Marine Provincial Park, is located on the southeast corner of Decourcy Island. The park boasts a large sand and pebble south facing beach which is excellent for relaxing, swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding.
Outdoor enthusiasts can hike the 4-kilometre trail or explore the sandstone beaches and caves. As would be expected, swimming and kayaking are popular activities at Pirates Cove, called Gospel Cove by the Aquarians. The 31-hectare (75 acre) Pirates Cove offers walk-in campsites, a magnificent all-weather anchorage, and a variety of opportunities for wildlife viewing.
De Courcy Island features an excellent array of wildlife. Common marine animals include harbor seals (year-round), Steller and California sea lions (late-August through mid-May), harbor porpoise, orca, gray and humpback whales (summer months). River otters, black-tailed deer and bald eagles make their home on the Island. Bird watchers can spot Wilson's Warblers, Pacific Flycatchers, Black Oystercatchers, White-crowned sparrows, Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons, as well as other species.
Located in Northumberland Channel off the east coast of central Vancouver Island, De Courcy Island was named after Michael Decourcy, captain of the HMS Pylades, a vessel that charted these waters from 1859 to 1861.
De Courcy Island is about 300 acres in size and is heavily forested in most areas, except for a small private farm on the northwest side of the island. There are several middens on De Courcy Island that indicate native use of the land going back over 3,000 years.
Between 1943 and 1957, the island was owned by a Swiss brother and sister, Paul and Anna Wyff. They farmed the island communally with a few other people, living a simple and self-sufficient lifestyle. DeCourcy Island Estates purchased the land in 1965 and subdivided it into approximately 160 lots. Today, De Courcy has around 40 residences built on the island, most of which are used on weekends or during the summer months.
Recent history of De Courcy Island records the drama played out in the late 1920s and early 1930s when the island was home to the Aquarian Foundation, a religious cult led by the "downright evil" Brother Xll. Believing himself to be the Twelfth Master of Wisdom who would usher in a new age, Brother Xll convinced 8,000 followers to hand over their worldly possessions and follow him to De Courcy Island.
The amount of money donated to the foundation is legendary—people would give their entire life savings in support. The land purchased included De Courcy Island. A settlement was built on the north end of the island, with stories of having gun fortifications and rock shelters. Any excess money was said to have been converted to gold coins and sealed into glass jars and placed into cedar chests. Facing trial in Nanaimo in 1933 on a bundle of charges, Brother Xll and his cohort disappeared on the colony's boat. The couple and the colony's fortune were never seen in these parts again.
Please see mapping section (all boundaries are approximate).
49° 5'52.30"N and 123°44'32.05"W
Subdivision potential.
Unlicensed well.
$1,729.80 (2022)
SR Settlement Residential Gabriola Island Local Trust Area, Decourcy Island Zoning Bylaw No. 44 and Schedule A Zoning Map.
Additional zoning information can be found on the Islands Trust website.
Block I, Sections 10 and 23, Nanaimo District, Plan 41970 except parts in Plans 46938 and VIP70935
PID 000-991-724
+8 maps
Our property descriptions and geographical information are taken from the BC Assessment Authority, Land Titles Office, government maps and other sources. While LandQuest® does not guarantee the information, we believe it to be accurate, but should not be relied upon without verification. This communication is not intended to cause or induce breach of an existing agency agreement.
Boat Harbour
17℃
11℃