McNabs Island

McNabs Island McNabs Island is the largest island in Halifax Harbour, home to historic forts and natural parks.

The Friends of McNabs Island Society, founded in 1990, is a volunteer-driven, non-profit, registered charity, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. We're dedicated to the preservation of McNabs, Lawlor and Devils Islands as parkland. The islands are located at the mouth of Halifax Harbour and provide a glimpse into Nova Scotia's colourful past and unspoiled natural beauty. The Friends of McNabs I

sland promote McNabs Island as a Nature Park and Outdoor Classroom. The Society hosts events on McNabs Island such as picnics, nature and historical tours, and annual beach clean-ups. The society produces maps and brochures, the popular guidebook Discover McNabs Island, island posters and the Rucksack newsletter. The Friends raise funds to improve the park facilities and trails, building a Visitor Kiosk and installing composting toilets and trail signs. All these improvements make McNabs Island a welcoming park for Nova Scotians and our visitors from all over the world!

🌷Our newest issue of our newsletter, The Rucksack, is now available! Read it online here: https://mcnabsisland.ca/sites/...
06/16/2026

🌷Our newest issue of our newsletter, The Rucksack, is now available! Read it online here:https://mcnabsisland.ca/sites/default/files/Final%20Rucksack%20Spring%20%202026.pdf

Join the Friends of McNabs Island Society on Sunday, July 5th for a guided hike through history on our North End Heritag...
06/15/2026

Join the Friends of McNabs Island Society on Sunday, July 5th for a guided hike through history on our North End Heritage Tour!

🌳Visit the Teahouse Outdoor Education Centre overlooking the historic English Gardens

🌊Enjoy scenic harbour views and the serenity of the forest

📖Learn the early history of the island, including the role it played in the lives of the Mi’kmaq people and its later importance to the British military

⚓Look out over Findlay Cove where SS England anchored in 1866 as cholera ravaged its crew (a story covered on our social media in April!)

🏠View the historic homesteads of past island residents including Matthew Lynch, father of “Midway King” Bill Lynch - McNabs Island is where Bill Lynch got his start in the fairground business.

🪖Discover Fort Ives and immerse yourself in the island's rich military history

🗓️Date: Sunday July 5th, 2026

📍Location: Departure with A&M Sea Charters from 87 Government Wharf Rd, Eastern Passage

🕘Time: Must arrive at 9:15AM for 9:30 departure. Must be back at Garrison Pier on McNabs Island at 4:00PM for 4:30 departure.

💲Cost: $40 (non-member adults), $30 (members of the Friends of McNabs Island Society), $20 (youth 5-16). Children under 4 are FREE but still require a ticket!

If you're interested in delving into the military and residential history of McNabs Island, you will love our North End Heritage Tour! Spots fill up quickly, so get your tickets TODAY via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/discover-mcnabs-island-north-end-heritage-tour-july-5-2026-930-am-tickets-1989543111002?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Image 1: View of Findlay Cove in 2024, photo by Kara Gordon-MacKay
Image 2: Davis-Conrad House c. 2014, photo by Rochelle Owen
Image 3: Guns at Fort Ives c. 2014, photo by Rochelle Owen
Image 4: Matthew Lynch House c. 2014, photo by Rochelle Owen
Image 5: A tour group headed north in fall 2025, photo by Kara Gordon-MacKay



Parks Canada Hike Nova Scotia Nature Nova Scotia Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia

06/11/2026

🌊On Sunday June 7th, we hosted our annual Beach Cleanup!

🌤️The forecast looked grim however, 100 volunteers took a chance on the weather.
We were lucky and experienced a wonderful cool day; no rain, no fog and no gale-force winds!

✨We collected about 250 bags of garbage and recyclables.

🛞Many interesting items were found including an antique tin bottle and a Navy service badge. Volunteers put a lot of effort into digging out tires, hauling out large pieces of styrofoam and many old broken lobster traps.

🪏Three volunteers spent hours digging out a huge deteriorating reinforced plastic tarp from beautiful sandy Maughers Beach.

🥾If you missed the beach cleanup but wanted to volunteer on the island, we’ve got a workday coming up June 20th! If you’re interested in joining us, contact [email protected] to sign up!

06/09/2026

🌲Join the Friends of McNabs Island for a guided hike through Canadian history!

☀️Every Sunday in July and August there will be a historic tour happening and we would love for you to join us!

🥾There are four different tours to choose from - North End, South End, Shoreline & Forest Bathing!

🔗 Grab your tickets here!
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/10724104906

06/05/2026

How could you not love it there? ✨

🌊Drop by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic TODAY to chat with the Friends of McNabs and several other ocean-related or...
06/05/2026

🌊Drop by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic TODAY to chat with the Friends of McNabs and several other ocean-related organisations! We'll be there from 9:30am until 3pm and you can enjoy free admission to the museum as well.

06/03/2026

☀️🌈McNabs truly is all sunshine + rainbows!

🧭Tour Guide Orientation day was a success!☀️Sign up for a tour this summer & you might see one of these smiling faces gu...
06/01/2026

🧭Tour Guide Orientation day was a success!

☀️Sign up for a tour this summer & you might see one of these smiling faces guiding your group!

Address

McNabs Island Provincial Park
Halifax, NS

Telephone

+19024342254

Website

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