The discovery of gold in Zeballos in the 1920s. The Zeballos Harbour was quickly filled with ships. These ships brought miners who looked to be part of the gold rush. The village of Zeballos became a city almost overnight. The historic buildings in the village are a living reminder of those frontier days. You can see the history from those days all around the village.
Today, the village is a small West Coast community with a resource-based economy, but tourism is starting to be a driving force as more and more visitors are looking to the West Coast as a destination. The village is becoming a favourite destination for kayakers, sports fishers, and nature lovers who want to leave the crowds behind and experience the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. Comfortable accommodation and several cafés welcome visitors. The harbour is well protected.
The road to Zeballos turns west off Highway 19 just north of Woss. The 40 km gravel road is in good condition and is looked after, watch for bears, deer, and elk crossing the road and eagles soaring overhead as you drive in. You can head beyond Zeballos to Fair Harbour. The village is located at the head of Zeballos Inlet, the gateway to Nootka Sound.
Tour the waters aboard your own vessel or arrange for an excursion with a local charter guide. Those with more time may want to arrive as a passenger on the M.V.Uchuck III, a working freight ship. The Uchuck sails weekly during the summer months from the Gold River Harbor to the Zeballos Harbor.
During the early 70s, l logged out of Zeballos and the village at that time had a fairly large population of around 300 plus another 350 men in camps. There was even a small movie theatre where we could catch a movie. The town is much quieter now.