Hi, i'm planning a huge move from Australia to Vancouver Island (work possibility).
I was wondering if you guys could tell me some really nice places. I am interested in something near a nice lake, somewhere really green and rainforesty. I was thinking like Shawnigan Lake or some place like that.
Any ideas?

Me again- i'm thinking something along the lines of a 'smallish' sorta everybody knows everybody town. Like a hidden retreat where i can sit on my balcony and watch the lake, hidden in amoungst the trees. I hope i am explaining myself well enough.
Clo

The further north on the island, the cheaper (Victoria is horribly expensive) and the crossing to the mainland with a car is expensive...

Some of the more remote areas are nice, I've heard...

I saw a lil' bit of Cowichan Bay on the net the other day, has anyone been there? Is it worth me looking into it?

The area around Cowichan Lake is lovely.
Formerly a rural slum populated by oft unemployed loggers and seasonal marijuana growers-often the same people-it's only now starting to come into it's own-definitely worth checking out.
Have a peek at
http://www.engelerfarm.com/
for the kind of interesting development happening now in the 'hood.

Hi,
I'm a Australian just returned from a holiday in Canada. We fell in love with Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island - very small place on a inlet from the sea - beautiful environment. There a few motels, some good restaurants and several B&Bs. The Pacific Rim National Park is only a few minutes away.