Wedding Venues · Port Stephens, New South Wales · Visit in person

Tanilba House

About

Overview & Vibe

Tanilba House is a convict-built stone homestead of 1831 — the oldest original home in Port Stephens, state heritage listed, sitting on three acres of gardens on a peninsula almost surrounded by the bay. It is run by its owners at a deliberately small scale: about twenty-five weddings a year, with what they call “no wedding factory approach here”. The feeling is colonial and slightly theatrical — vintage props, wine barrels, thousands of fairy lights — rather than polished and corporate.

Setting & Style

The grounds do most of the work. There is a thirty-metre stone arbour covered in vines and flowers, a twin “fig tree cathedral” formed by two figs of more than 160 years, a stone mosaic Temple, a convict-built stone gaol, broad colonial verandahs, and a stone-walled all-weather conservatory that carries the day if the weather turns. Waterfront parks and a bay beach are, in the venue’s words, “mere steps away”. Ceremony and reception locations are chosen from across the property rather than fixed.

Ideal For

Couples who want history and character over a blank-canvas room, and who are happy at a genuinely small scale. The venue caps at 90 and its packages start at four people, so it suits everything from an elopement to a full wedding — but a couple planning for 150 should look elsewhere. The DIY package suits those who want to bring their own suppliers; the Classic Vintage package suits those who want the venue to organise most of it.

The Need-to-Knows

Pricing is by whole-event package, not per head, and is published three years ahead — 2026, 2027 and 2028 rates are all on the site. The Classic Vintage package covers 50 guests, with additional adults at $120 each up to the cap of 90. Catering is included in most packages as either a cocktail menu or a hot meat buffet, and you can take the venue’s drinks package or supply your own and hire the bar. The site publishes nothing about dietary options, so vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergy handling is a question to ask directly. Accommodation on site is limited to one party of four in the historic Maids Quarters.

Standout Feature

The fig tree cathedral — two figs more than 160 years old whose canopies meet overhead to form a natural aisle and ceiling. It is the one thing here that cannot be built, hired or replicated, and it is the reason a good many couples choose the property.

Amenities

Convict-Built Stone Homestead
Convict-Built Stone Gaol
Stone-Walled All-Weather Conservatory
30-Metre Stone Arbour
Twin Fig Tree Cathedral
Stone Mosaic Temple
Three Acres Of Gardens
Colonial Surround Verandahs
Thousands Of Fairy Lights
Rustic Dancefloor House
Photobooth Hut
Rustic Bar With Clawfoot Bath Esky
Surround Sound System
Bridal Room Access
Wedding Management
Celebrant And Legal Paperwork
Cake And Gift Tables
Cake Cutting And Serving
Vintage Props, Wine Barrels And Cable Reels
Onsite Accommodation For Four

Ceremony Setting

garden
arbour
conservatory

Dietary Options Supported

No details available.

Nearby Landmarks

Nelson Bay – The house is "located halfway between Newcastle and Nelson Bay on the Tilligerry Peninsula in Tanilba Bay, Port Stephens"
Newcastle – The other end of that same halfway measure, inland to the south-west
Port Stephens – The bay itself; the homestead "sits proudly on a peninsula surrounded by the bay on 3 acres of manicured gardens"
Tilligerry Peninsula – A "little known and undeveloped paradise" the venue says is "known for its magnificent bay views, teeming bird life and local koalas"
Waterfront parks and a bay beach – Listed among the photography settings as "mere steps away"

On Site Accommodation

Price Notes

Five packages, each with 2026 / 2027 / 2028 pricing published in advance
Classic Vintage Wedding — 50 guests, 6+ hours: $13,500 (2026), $14,200 (2027), $14,500 (2028); extra adults $120 each up to 90
Garden Party — 30 guests, 3 hours: $9,900 (2026), $10,500 (2027), $10,800 (2028)
Intimate Dinner — 20 guests, 4–6 hours: $9,700 (2026), $10,200 (2027), $10,700 (2028); extra adults $155 each
Micro Wedding — 4 people, 2 hours, Sunday to Friday: $4,800 (2026), $5,000 (2027), $5,200 (2028); extra adults $60 each; drinks package $25 per head
Bespoke DIY — up to 90 guests, BYO suppliers: $9,500 (2026), $10,000 (2027), $10,300 (2028)
Classic Vintage hire covers ceremony start to close of bar, plus 30 minutes either side for arrivals and departures, plus two complimentary hours of early access for photography or dressing
Drinks: take the venue's drinks package or BYO and hire the bar (RSA staff, set-up, pack-down and refrigeration included)
Onsite accommodation in the Maids Quarters is an optional add-on, from $250 per night midweek or $300 weekends
The venue holds about 25 weddings a year

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Contact

Website: tanilbahouse.com.au
Phone: 0411 148 909
Address: 32 Caswell Crescent, Tanilba Bay NSW 2319

32 Caswell Crescent, Tanilba Bay NSW 2319 Open in Maps

From the Journal

The Little Wedding Planner Editors · 1 November 2026

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A venue will say yes to your ceremony on the phone. Whether the kitchen, the room and the price list were built for it is a different question, and it was answered in writing long before you rang.

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The Little Wedding Planner Editors · 1 November 2026

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