26.7 acres of pure nature with eagles soaring over the oceanfront bluffs. Southern ocean and mountains views. Upgraded access road and driveway. Cleared flat building site. 200-amp power, septic tank and field, 230 ft well with cistern. Architectural drawings for a home. Priced below assessed value.
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Rare opportunities like this come along once in a generation. Perched at the highest point on Gabriola Island, this extraordinary 26.7-acre estate property offers something almost impossible to find on the Gulf Islands: a fully serviced, ready-to-build homesite with sweeping, unobstructed views down Northumberland Channel and across the many shimmering water ways of the Gulf Islands down to the Olympic peninsula.
Set safely back from a dramatic 300 ft cliff, the cleared building site commands a view that has to be seen to be believed—sailboats tracing the channel below, killer whales sporting through Dodd's Narrows, eagles riding the thermals at eye level, and sunsets that paint the islands gold night at nightfall.
The land itself is a study in balance: on the north side of Dempsey Road, acres of gentle evenly sloped usable forest offering room for gardens, outbuildings, trails, or simply the quiet company of mature trees facing towards and with potential views of the Salish Sea, northern Gulf Islands and mainland north of Gabriola. On the south side of Dempsey Road, gently sloped forested acres and spectacular cliffside, with sweeping, unobstructed views down Northumberland Channel and across the Gulf Islands down to the Olympic peninsula, guaranteeing your view corridor and your privacy, forever. Dempsey Road terminates at the property with an easement that continues bisecting these two portions thus providing complete road access to both sides.
A secret world exists just over from the building site where a 25 m lower bench runs the full width of the property.
Another great layer of value to consider—2026 taxes: $3,688.98 are more than offset by an annual Foreshore lease to Island Timberlands for more than $5300 (contains an annual automatic cost of living increase).
Well drilled to 250 ft in 2002. At the time, yielding 1.5 gallons/minute at 40 feet.
The hard work is done. Skip years of development headaches and start designing your dream home today:
Bring your architect, bring your imagination. The foundation for an exceptional island estate is already here.
Known as the "Isle of the Arts," Gabriola Island offers the rare combination of true island tranquility and genuine convenience. Just a 20-minute ferry ride from Nanaimo—with its shopping, hospital, airport, and fast connections to Vancouver by floatplane, helicopter, or Hullo ferry—Gabriola lets you live remotely without living remotely.
Life here moves at island pace. Explore the famous Malaspina Galleries sandstone formations, wander white-shell beaches at Drumbeg and Sandwell Provincial Parks, Twin Beaches for sandy shores, clear waters and family swimming. Play the 9 hole/18 tee box public golf course designed by the famous course designer Robert Trent Jones Jr. Browse the Saturday farmers' market, or drop in on one of the many studios and music festivals that make Gabriola home to one of Canada's most vibrant arts communities per capita. Add a mild coastal climate, a welcoming year-round community, and some of the best kayaking, diving, fishing and sailing waters on the coast, and it's easy to see why so many who visit never leave.
Large acreages on Gabriola are scarce. Large acreages that are serviced, cleared, and crowned with the island's highest viewpoint are essentially unheard of. Whether you envision a legacy family estate, a private retreat, or an architectural showpiece worthy of the setting, this property delivers a canvas without equal.
26.7 acres. The top of the island. Ready to build. Your view awaits.
Contact us today to arrange a private viewing.
Lot 2 Dempsey Road - Gabriola Island, BC
Please see the mapping section of this listing for detailed location and directions.
Gabriola Island offers a balance of island living and convenient access to Vancouver Island. What tends to distinguish Gabriola from more remote Gulf Island locations is accessibility. Residents can live in a rural island environment, spend their days around beaches, trails, farms and local businesses, and still reach downtown Nanaimo by ferry in about 20 minutes. This makes it practical for residents who want a quieter setting while maintaining access to Nanaimo for larger shopping centres, professional services, health care, employment and transportation connections. Gabriola can also be reached by floatplane from Vancouver.
The island has an established commercial centre rather than relying entirely on Nanaimo for day-to-day needs. The village area includes a full grocery store, pharmacy, library, cafés, restaurants and shops, while other businesses around the island provide specialty foods, health products, meat and deli items, liquor stores, contractors and home services. This gives Gabriola a lived-in, year-round feel rather than functioning primarily as a vacation destination.
The local vibe is casual, independent and community oriented. Gabriola has a strong arts and maker culture, with studios, galleries, locally produced goods, farms and small businesses spread around the island. Community organizations, recreation programs, local events and gathering places contribute to an atmosphere where residents tend to shop locally and become involved in island life. It is well suited for folks looking for more privacy and space without giving up a sense of community.
Outdoor recreation is part of everyday life. Gabriola has three provincial parks—Gabriola Sands, Sandwell and Drumbeg—as well as regional and community parks, providing access to beaches, forest trails and shoreline. Gabriola Sands has two sandy beaches between Taylor Bay and Pilot Bay, while Drumbeg includes shoreline trails, a long sand-and-pebble beach and views across Gabriola Passage. Sandwell provides forest access to the shoreline at Lock Bay.
The interior of the island also has a large network of forest trails. The 707 Community Park is one of Gabriola's main recreation areas, with multi-use trails used for walking, cycling and horseback riding. Along the coast, residents have opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, fishing, swimming, diving and beachcombing. Silva Bay provides marina services on the southeast side of the island, adding to Gabriola's appeal for boaters.
With approximately 98 kilometres of coastline and more than 170 kilometres of trails, Walking, hiking, cycling, paddling, boating, fishing, beachcombing, wildlife viewing and golf are common activities. The island's network of parks and shoreline access points makes it easy to spend time outdoors close to home.
If you’re looking for recreation closer to home, Gabriola also has a nine-hole golf course and driving range, along with organized recreation programs and community facilities.
Gabriola Island’s modern history developed through farming, logging, fishing and small homesteads, with early residents supplying goods to the growing Nanaimo region. The island later became known for its sandstone quarries and brickmaking industry, with locally produced materials used in construction throughout British Columbia.
As ferry connections improved, Gabriola gradually evolved from a resource-based community into a well-established residential and arts-oriented island. Traces of its farming, quarrying and maritime past remain part of the island’s character today, adding a sense of history to its rural setting and close connection with Nanaimo.
Please see maps and plans included, all boundaries are approximate.
49° 9'14.72"N and 123°50'41.32"W
Improved the access road and driveway, which leads to a cleared flat building site that has been used with an RV for several years. There is also a cleared building site where 200-amp electrical power has been brought in, a septic tank and field have already been installed, and a 230 ft well is in place. The owners have also installed a water cistern for additional water storage. The lot includes additional cleared flat and gravel sites that have been used for tent sites.
$ 3,688.98 (2026)
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LOT 2 SECTION 27 GABRIOLA ISLAND NANAIMO DISTRICT PLAN VIP75280
PID 025-674-170
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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.
Gabriola
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