This post covers Stewarts Island on Lake Muskoka in Bala Bay, including its former name Beatty Island and an older map reference you may see: Cunningham Island. If you searched “Stewarts Island Lake Muskoka” or “Beatty Island Lake Muskoka”, you’re looking at the same island. Beatty is the historic name; modern charts typically show Stewarts … Read more
Most cottagers don’t need to “clean up” their whole waterfront to love it. That was one of the best takeaways from How Lakes Work Episode 2, a webinar presented by Muskoka Discovery Centre in collaboration with Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, featuring a talk on the littoral zone by ecologist Gord Miller of Earthroots (Ontario’s … Read more
Some environmental changes creep in quietly. Lake ice doesn’t. In Episode 1 of How Lakes Work, Dr. Sapna Sharma (York University) laid out a reality that’s both simple and unsettling: winter is still here – but the rules that made ice predictable are breaking down. This isn’t just about skating season … Read more
If you’ve been following our market reports, you’ve likely seen us use the term “Median Proxy.” It sounds like technical jargon, but if you’re looking to buy or sell on the water, understanding the difference between a “Proxy” and a “True Median” is very important. The Math: Simple vs. Precise In most real estate markets, … Read more
2025 wasn’t one market. It was a multi-speed waterfront environment – fast in some areas, slow in others – because selection grew dramatically. Where buyers have leverage now (and why): selection is deeper, so negotiating power shows up in time, terms, and price – depending on township. The pricing mistake that quietly costs a full … Read more
Crib dock repair in Muskoka Lakes is one of those projects that looks simple until you try to do it “just a little bit.” You notice the dock feels lower than it used to. The surface tilts. Maybe the stringers look tired. Maybe you can literally see daylight where rock used to be. And the … Read more
Muskoka Lakes waterfront real estate has completed a major transition – so let’s zoom out and look at the 2025 Muskoka Lakes waterfront real estate market in the context of recent years. Over the last three years, we’ve moved away from the chaotic, high-speed frenzy of the pandemic era and into a much more selective, … Read more
You’ve decided on Lake Rosseau. Great choice. (Or maybe you’ve landed on this post from somewhere else – check out our Lake Rosseau Cottage Guide to see if Lake Rosseau is right for you) Now you’re staring at listings in Minett, Windermere, Rosseau village, Port Sandfield and a handful of islands… and wondering: “Which part … Read more
Clevelands House can’t sit derelict forever. Most people I talk to want the same thing: a revived resort village at Minett, with restaurants, services, and cleaned-up structures – as long as the rules we change to get there don’t come back to haunt Muskoka. If you need the big-picture background on the Clevelands House development … Read more
This transcript is provided by Catharine Inniss & the Cottage in Muskoka Editorial Team as an informal resource for cottagers, residents, and anyone following the Clevelands House / Minett redevelopment and OPA 64. It has been lightly edited for readability, speaker identification, and place names (for example: Minett, Lake Rosseau, Clevelands House). It is not … Read more