When you disembark from the ferries at Departure Bay, Brechin Road runs up the hill beside you. From here, almost all the way to downtown, is the old Newcastle Townsite. This neighbourhood includes a lot of different styles, many of them rare and highly desirable. These homes were built to enjoy the amazing views of Departure Bay and Newcastle Island; decks are large, windows are tall, roads are steep, and there's a sort of maritime feeling. Even if your home doesn't have an ocean view, you will see the water every day - up close - as you come and go.
Note, the real estate board calls this whole area "Brechin Hill" after the coal mine settlement (Brechin) that was near the present BC Ferries terminal and Brechin Road. But closer to downtown (around the White Spot restaurant and the Yacht Club), the area is called "Newcastle" after the Newcastle Townsite that was here in the early days (and from whence Townsite Rd gets its name).
View Brechin and Newcastle home listings below, or read more about the neighbourhood.
Single Family
522 Vancouver Ave, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #468438
Here Is A True Nanaimo Classic In Ever Popular Vancouver Ave. A Short Walk To The Famous Seawall And Nanaimo Marinas. This Well Built Beauty Was Built In 1937 And As Been Maintained And Updated. Gorgeous Oak Flooring, Leaded French Doors And Many Light Fixt...
Condo/Strata
27 Cypress Street, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #464557
Waterfront Living At Its Best! Three Story Townhouse On Nanaimo's Seawall With Stunning Views Of Newcastle Island And The Marina. Enjoy One Of Three Ocean Front Patios While Watching The Boats Sail By, Sea Planes Or Launch Your Kayak Right In Front Of Your ...
Condo/Strata
29 Cypress Street, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #465154
Lifestyle & West Coast Living.1min From Your Door W/your Kayak & You'll Be On The Ocean Living The Life You've Dreamed.welcome To This Pristine Oceanfront 0 Maintenance Home!no Shoveling Snow Just Pure Bliss On The Water!this 3lvl Show Home Features New Hea...
Single Family
725 Maple Street, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #469945
"carriage House" Ocean View Home With Spacious Living Room With Hardwood Flooring, Coved Ceilings,slate Fireplace,picture Window With Views Of The Ocean. Bright Kitchen With Skylight And View Of The Ocean. B/in Wall Oven And Microwave. Newer Vinyl Flooring,...
Single Family
515 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #467330
Charming 3 Bedroom, 1702sf Character Home With Extensive Updates, Beautiful Landscaping, And Newer Detached Shop. Recently Painted Wood Cladding, A Picturesque Fenced Back Yard With Rockeries, Interlocking Brick Patio, All Enjoying The Warmth Of A Sunny Sou...
Single Family
1351 Discovery Ave, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #470023
Beautiful Updates Have Been Done To This 3 Bedroom Plus Den Ocean View Home With Ground Level Suite. The Main Level Has A Convenient Floor Plan With 2 Bedrooms, A Beautifully Renovated Bathroom With A Separate Bath And Tumbled Marble Shower And An Updated K...
Single Family
1948 Quadra Ave, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #470269
Classic Brechin Hill Family Home With Fantastic Suite Potential. This Quiet Oasis In The Heart Of The City Has Been Well-maintained And Thoughtfully Updated Both Inside & Out. With Lots Of Natural Light & A Large Level Lot, This Home Boasts Awesome Outdoor ...
Single Family
411 Hemlock Street, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #466496
Do You Like Lovely Older Character Homes Then This 1956 Vintage Gem Should Be Absolutely First On Your Viewing List! Located In A Great Brechin Hill Neighborhood Close To Shopping, Schools, Terminal Park Mall, & Ferry. 3 Bedrms/2 Baths Of Over 2000 Sq.ft. O...
Single Family
561 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo, BC
MLS® #468872
Close To Schools, Bc Ferries, Seaplanes, And Restaurants, Live Just Steps From The Water. Enjoy Walking, Running, Or Biking Along The Nearly 5km Waterfront Walkway. This Spacious Character Home In The Well-established Brechin Hill Marina Neighbourhood Is A ...
Ocean views are the norm for homes on Brechin Hill, with about 35-40 multi-family buildings and about 550 single-family homes perched on steep streets running down to the ocean.
This area runs the length of the Newcastle Channel between Departure Bay and Nanaimo Harbour - it's a very central, desirable location - and yet much of it is quiet and cozy, disturbed only by float planes and the horns of the Departure Bay ferry terminal.
The larger portion of this neighbourhood is between the ocean and Terminal Park Mall - on your right for several blocks as you drive off the ferry toward downtown. On this end of Brechin, east/west streets are named for trees: Willow, Chestnut, Maple, etc. The lots in this area tend to be about 6000-9000 square feet, or larger for certain corner properties and lots near the water.
Less quiet is the southern end of Brechin (Newcastle Ave., Vancouver Ave.), closer to downtown and nearer the island highway. For lovers of old-town Nanaimo, this is the best real estate available, matched only by the Old City area. This neighbourhood's streets slope down to the ocean, such that you can usually look down the road and see boats, backdropped by Newcastle Island across a narrow channel. There are a number of apartment buildings and some very fine old homes; this was the original Newcastle Townsite where many of the early 20th century elite built gorgeous estate homes on large lots. These have since been subdivided, but some houses still sit on 10,000-19,000 sqft parcels. If you love mature gardens and fine craftsman homes, this neighbourhood is worth checking out.
There are several condos in the Brechin area, from waterfront developments down on Stewart Avenue (the road running between BC Ferries and downtown) to ocean view apartments up on Vancouver Avenue (closer to downtown) and Estevan Road (Terminal Park shopping mall).
Back to Nanaimo neighbourhoods
VIREB IDX Reciprocity listings are displayed in accordance with VIREB's broker reciprocity Agreement and are copyright © the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. The above information is from sources deemed reliable but it should not be relied upon without independent verification.
