What are the opening hours?

Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

Gorge Waterway Nature House

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Gorge Waterway Nature House

The Gorge Waterway Nature House is open to the public and offers environmental education programs to school and community groups.

Open hours subject to volunteer availability - any closures will be announced via Facebook post. Located right on the Gorge Waterway, the Nature House was opened in 2008 and serves as a local community hub of marine and environmental education, operated by the Gorge Waterway Action Society. Get your hands wet with a touch tank of live marine animals from our coast, check out a 3-D model of the sur

rounding watershed and have fun exploring various displays that provide a hands-on learning experience about local terrestrial and aquatic environments. The Nature House also runs educational programs for school and community groups, offers birthday party programs and operates a small concession stand and retail store.

06/03/2026

Summer hours are back at the Nature House! Visit us any day of the week from 10am-4pm 🌳🌱🌿

(Mondays we will close at 7pm alongside the Esquimalt market!)

05/30/2026

Making a Difference is more fun with friends!
Join GWAS' ecological restoration event for the annual Make a Difference Week 🌱

On Thursday June 4th, we'll meet at the Gorge Waterway Nature House at 9:30 for a morning of connecting with native ecosystems and community (and snacks)!

No experience or equipment required. Please wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothes that you don't mind getting dirty 🥾

05/06/2026

Have you always dreamed of studying salmon? Did seeing your first nudibranch change your life? Are you curious about ocean careers, but don’t know where to start? Interested in volunteering to get hands on experience? Already working in the industry, and want to learn more?

If so, this event is for you!

Here in Victoria, we’re in a hub for marine careers, surrounded by incredible marine ecosystems and with countless learning opportunities at our fingertips!

During Ocean Week 2026, join GWAS alongside several other ocean-focused organizations to learn about how you can explore careers and opportunities in marine science, conservation, and beyond.

05/03/2026

Did you know that playing a game of BINGO could have real conservation impacts on Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) populations?

It can when you play with GWAS and the Hakai Institute's Sentinels of Change program. By monitoring a light trap and all of the marine critters that enter the trap, we gain a picture of Dungeness megalopae population and their range, plus counts on other key species like chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and Pacific sandlance (Ammodytes personatus).

After 2 weeks of diligent trap checks by our volunteers, we caught our first Dungeness megalopa on April 27, and are up to a count of 27 already! While our count is low compared to Tofino's trap, we're one of the first few light traps along BC's coast to catch Dungeness megalopae in April. We're excited to see how many pay us a visit over the summer 🦀

Huge thank you to the Hakai Institute, and the folks at for housing the trap and supporting this important initiative!

04/30/2026

🐟 Life Below Water… is incredible!
👇 Giveaway below

Ocean Week is just a month away! Here at GWAS, celebrating the ocean is a BIG deal, and with celebration comes care. We work to promote the sustainable use of marine resources, conserve and restore marine ecosystems, and reduce harmful on-land activities that impact our oceans.

This connects directly to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, one of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to address major social, economic, and environmental challenges by 2030. Here at GWAS, we are proud to support SDG 14 as part of our commitment to protecting our oceans and building a more sustainable future!

Comment what species of fish you think is in the video to be entered into a draw to win two tickets to the Critical Distance Exhibit at the Royal BC Museum!

We can’t wait to see you during Ocean Week!

Nature Canada
Royal BC Museum

esquimaltgorgepark

04/17/2026

Splish Splash, we're throwing an Ocean Bash 🌊

GWAS and are teaming up once again to bring you the Gorge Splashtacular Ocean Festival, the kickoff event to Ocean Week Victoria!

Join us at the Gorge Waterway Nature House on Saturday May 30th from 12:00 - 4:00pm for ocean inspired crafts, marine touch tanks, a garbage clean by the Trash Panda Brigade, a live ocean painting demonstration and ocean-themed activities from your favourite local organizations.

We hope to sea you there 🐠

04/15/2026

🌱 Volunteers Wanted! 🌱

We’re looking for volunteers at the Gorge Waterway Nature House who want to connect with the community and share about the wonders of the Gorge Waterway.

Share your curiosity, spark conversations, and help celebrate the incredible ecology of this special place!

Join our team today to learn, teach, and grow together 🌊💚

04/14/2026

Buggy Bioblitz is Back 🐛🪲 💚

Join GWAS and for a Bioblitz in Esquimalt Gorge Park on Sunday April 26 from 11:00am - 2:00pm.

Drop by the Gorge Waterway Nature House to learn more about iNaturalist and the 2026 City Nature Challenge.
Then flutter, crawl, or ooze through a guided nature walk with UVic's CICADA Club at 11:30 and 1:00 🦋

You have a chance to win amazing prizes for your species observations, all while learning and having fun in your nature-loving community. Check out the link in our bio for more details!

01/18/2026

We’re Hiring 🌱
The Gorge Waterway Action Society is looking for a passionate individual to join our team as an Interpreter to help amplify our mission with the community.

Job posting is available on our website or linked in bio 🔗

Our summer youth job postings will also be open in February, so keep your eyes peeled for more opportunities to join our Team from May to August 🐝

Interested in volunteering? We have lots of opportunities to take action throughout the greater Gorge community. Reach out for more details 🌲

Address

1070 Tillicum Road
Victoria, BC
V9A2A3

Opening Hours

Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+17782565119

Website

http://www.gorge.ca/

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