A 2 1/2 hour drive from Victoria will take you to one of Vancouver Island's most interesting historical sites, the McLean Mill. What makes the McLean Mill such a unique heritage treasure is that much of the original machinery and buildings have survived making it a rare example of a sawmill complex from the early days of mechanized logging on the west coast. Even more remarkable is that the sawmill has been restored to full working condition, the millpond and dam have been reconstructed and the companies original steam donkey is also operating along with a fully rigged ‘spar tree’ for pulling in cut logs and loading onto trucks. You can see how an early 20th century logging and milling operation actually worked! This is a spectacular site to explore. If you want an even cooler experience, take the steam train ride to the mill from Port Alberni!