Ada Annie and William Rae-Arthur and their three children landed at Boat Basin in 1915. At the time of her passing in 1985 her five-acre garden, decades in the making, was overrun by rainforest. Thirty-four years and 38,000 hours of volunteer work restored the garden, now owned and maintained by Boat Basin Foundation.
The objectives of Boat Basin Foundation are to preserve the garden for future generations and to promote
interest and education in cultural and natural history.
Temperate Rainforest Field Study Centre, constructed on a ridge overlooking the garden with views to the Pacific horizon, enables guests to stay over to appreciate and learn about these values. The facility offers a unique venue for overnight stays free of encountering fellow travellers. Seven cabins, a spacious fully-equipped kitchen, and over eighty linear feet of dining table ensure family and other groups can comfortably gather.
Day visits from Tofino and Gold River also provide a way to experience this unique heritage.