The Morden Mine Tipple is an imposing relic of Nanaimo's coal-mining era — a large wooden ore-sorting structure that has stood on a hillside south of the city since the late 19th century. The tipple was used to sort and load coal before it was transported down to the harbour. It is one of the few surviving examples of this type of industrial structure in North America.
The site is more atmospheric than conventionally attractive: a stark wooden skeleton on a hillside, slowly weathering, with views down to the strait. It is on the way to or from Ladysmith and can be combined with a drive along the east coast of Vancouver Island. A short trail leads to the tipple from the roadside.