Archipelago of the Recherche

Nearly 100 untouched islands make up the stunning Recherche Archipelago off the coast of Esperance in the remote south east of Western Australia.

Here, you can see amazing wildlife including sea eagles, and colonies of sea lions and fur seals which come here to breed. Get up close to these incredible creatures on a boat cruise from Esperance.

Known by the locals as the Bay of Isles, the Recherche Archipelago is pristine wilderness at its best.

From land, the bay is one of Australia’s most beautiful seascapes. Pure white sand melts into turquoise water with islands scattered here and there. Many of the smaller islands are granite outcrops while one of the largest, known as Woody Island, offers camping, bushwalking, fishing and swimming.

Woody Island is perfect for nature lovers. There’s plenty of native bush, stunning lagoons for swimming and snorkelling, and a variety of wildlife including bandicoots and wallabies. The island is open for camping between September and April and offers excellent facilities available which range from basic camp sites to safari huts with views over the bush to Shearwater Bay.

Esperance is a day’s drive from Perth or you can flight there in two hours.