Brechin Hill: When you disembark from the ferries at Departure Bay, you're near the old Brechin coal mine site, and Brechin Road runs up the hill to your right. The east/west streets on this end 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.
There are a lot of great homes in this area! From cute old wartime bungalows to mid-century-modern gems, to modern steel and glass homes built to take in the water views, homes in Brechin are some of the most affordable oceanview homes in Nanaimo.
Newcastle: As you head toward downtown, the homes get older - you're now in the "Newcastle" neighbourhood, though it's still "Brechin" according to the real estate board.
There are a number of low-rise apartment buildings in this area, with more being added over time.
This is also where you will find some very fine historic homes; this was the original Newcastle Townsite where many of the early 20th century elite built gorgeous craftsman homes on large lots. Those estates have since been subdivided, but some of the houses still sit on 10,000-19,000 sqft parcels. For lovers of old-town Nanaimo, this is the best real estate available, matched only by the Old City area.
Contact me if you want to be notified of any new listings showing up in Brechin and Newcastle. Or, see below for current properties for sale.
Brechin Hill Homes
This is 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.
Homes in Brechin are typically built to enjoy the amazing views of Departure Bay, Newcastle Channel and Nanaimo Harbour; decks are large, windows are tall, roads are steep, and there's a sort of maritime feeling. The neighbourhood's streets slope down to the ocean, so that even if you don't have a view from your house, you can look down the road as you arrive at home, seeing boats backdropped by Newcastle Island across a narrow channel.
Condos & Townhomes in Brechin/Newcastle
I've compiled all of the building stratas in this neighbourhood and placed them onto the interactive map below. (The map is easier to use on screens larger than a phone.) You can click the pins to see a photo and a link to a page about each strata. The same list of stratas appears below the map, too.
