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Woody Island Eco Tours

Name: Woody Island Eco Tours
Address: Woody Island, Recherche Archipelago, Esperance WA 6450, Australia, Esperance, Western Australia, 6450, AU
Telephone: 0484 327 580

Esperance, Western Australia Capacity: Up to 100 From: From $200 p/head

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About

Overview & Vibe

Woody Island sits in the Recherche Archipelago, an hour by ferry from Esperance, and Woody Island Eco Tours is the only operator that can get you onto it. The island is a nature reserve — granite headlands, low coastal scrub, a sheltered turquoise bay — and the whole of it can be booked out for a wedding. There is no township, no traffic and no other venue: the guest list arrives by boat and the island is yours.

Setting & Style

The built facilities cluster above Shearwater Bay. A split-level Visitors Centre of roughly 14 × 17 m opens through full-height glass onto a broad timber deck over the water, and Black Jack's licensed bar and outdoor beer garden run to about 18 × 27 m. A music system and catering kitchen space come with the venue. The photographs the operator publishes are of that deck set with plates and cutlery against the bay, the bar looking out over the jetty, and the water itself — which, given they hire out the whole island, is genuinely part of what you are booking.

Ideal For

Couples who want somewhere in Australia that almost nobody else can get married — and who are prepared to run a logistically real wedding to get it. It suits a guest list up to 100 who will happily stay the night in a safari hut or a canvas retreat, treat the day as a two- or three-day event, and accept that the weather has a vote. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs certainty of date, easy access for elderly or less mobile guests, or a large formal sit-down reception.

The Need-to-Knows

The constraints here are unusually consequential and all of them are published. The island operates seasonally — ferries run from October to May only, and not on Christmas Day, so a winter wedding is impossible. The ferry seats 48 and the venue takes 100, so a full guest list means more than one crossing; the run is about 60 minutes out and 40 back, departing Taylor Street Jetty in Esperance. All sailings are weather- and numbers-permitting. No BYO is permitted within the Visitors Centre. Catering comes from the island kitchen: the advertised function option is a barbecue lunch on the deck at $200 per person and $100 per child with a minimum of 20 guests, which includes the day tour and ferry transfer. Gluten free bread is available but the operator states plainly it cannot guarantee against cross-contamination. Breakfast must be ordered by 7.30pm the night before and dinner pre-ordered by 2pm. Accommodation must be booked with a return ferry at the same time, and carries a minimum two-night stay through December and January.

Standout Feature

Exclusivity in the literal sense. Booking out Woody Island does not mean reserving a room or a lawn — it means that for the duration nobody else is on the island at all. Guests wake in canvas retreats above the bay, and the nearest other building is across an hour of open water.

Contact

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Website

woodyisland.com.au

Phone

0484 327 580

Address

Woody Island, Recherche Archipelago, Esperance WA 6450, Australia

Amenities

Exclusive Venue Use
Licensed Venue
Private Bar
In-house Catering
On-site Accommodation
Sound System
Waterfront Views

Ceremony Setting

indoor
outdoor
deck
waterfront

Dietary Options Supported

Gluten Free

Nearby Landmarks

Taylor Street Jetty, Esperance – The ferry departure point, about 60 minutes away by sea
Shearwater Bay – The bay the Visitors Centre, deck and accommodation all overlook
Recherche Archipelago – The island group Woody Island belongs to
Middle Island and Lake Hillier – Covered by the operator's own Beyond Woody Island pages

On Site Accommodation

Yes, and for a whole-island wedding it is effectively compulsory for anyone not taking the last ferry. Woody Island Eco Tours provides luxury Couples Retreats (large canvas tents with a private deck and their own bar overlooking Shearwater Bay, king bed, linen and towels, sparkling wine on arrival, interior and exterior lighting and USB charge points, $300 per night for two adults), Safari Huts ($250 per night, queen bed plus a bunk and trundle, sleeping two adults and up to three children, with a private balcony), furnished Family Tents ($220 per night, queen plus two singles, four maximum) and camping sites, together with a camp kitchen available to all overnight guests. A minimum two-night stay applies during December and January, and the return ferry must be booked at the same time as the room.

Price Notes

The function offer is a barbecue lunch on the deck at $200 per person, $100 per child, minimum 20 guests, which includes the Woody Island Day Tour and ferry transfer. Beyond that the site says only "Contact us for availability and a quote" for exclusive island bookings — there is no published venue hire fee, no wedding package and no minimum spend for booking out the island. Accommodation is priced per night: Luxury Couples Retreat $300 (2 adults, king bed), Safari Hut $250 (2 adults, 3 children max), Family Tent $220 (4 person max), plus camping sites, all with a minimum two-night stay through December and January. Day tour and transfer fares are separate and additional: adults $180, concession $140, students 13-17 $100, children 2-12 $80, infants free, family (2 adults + 2 children) $400; campers' transfer excluding the tour and morning tea $135, or $90 one way. Equipment hire is extra — snorkel sets $20-$30, kayaks $40-$60. The operator states "our pricing is reviewed annually" and does not accept website bookings for future seasons, so quotes must be taken directly.

Price Per Head

From $200 p/head

Venue Capacity

Up to 100

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