Most of our guests generally have the same concerns. You can find answers to all of our most frequently asked questions below.
If you still have any questions, our Reservations Team can be contacted here.
Bookings
Yes, the Retreat is open for bookings. Please email our Reservations team at [email protected].
The Retreat is closed for the wet season every year (December – March) but is open for bookings all year round.
Tiwi Island Retreat is located at Port Hurd, on the western side of Bathurst Island, Northern Territory, Australia.
Our pricing is based on the package and the room type selected. Please click here for pricing.
We offer minimum 2-night packages. Our packages are designed for 2-nights to 4-nights stay, however you may stay longer if you wish.
Our package pricing includes;
- Return charter plane transfer from Darwin Airport
- Your choice of beautifully appointed accommodation
- Menu designed by award winning chef
- Ocean to plate and locally sourced produce
- Daily sunset canapés
- Select alcohol – beer, wine and select spirits
- Tiwi Island Retreat welcome pack
- Tiwi Island Retreat Fishing Shirt & Hat
- Tiwi Islands visitor and fishing permits
- Boat transfers between Port Hurd airstrip and the Retreat
Both tents have a built-in plunge pool at the front deck. Both tents also have the same bedding configuration 1 x king bed and 1 x bunk bed (with double bottom and single top), including a private ensuite.
Please note: the tents do not have air conditioning.
We are an inclusive retreat that welcomes anyone and everyone. Whether you are a family, a couple, a group of friends or a corporate group, we have suitable accommodation options and packages to cater for everyone. For group bookings please contact our Reservations Team at [email protected].
There is no age limit. Please note we do not have child minding facilities so parents and guardians must always maintain suitable supervision of their children at all times.
Payment Policy:
- A 30% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking and must be paid within 7 days of making your reservation.
- The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to arrival.
- Bookings made within 60 days of arrival require full payment at the time of booking.
Any permits you require are already covered in your package.
STAY
All Ocean and Village Rooms are airconditioned. Both Luxury Glamping Tents are not airconditioned but are equipped multiple fans to keep the airflow consistent. The tents are designed and manufactured with a ventilation system that is built to cope with high temperatures. The tents are also design with mesh screens on either side to not only immerse you in the wilderness, but to also maximise the natural sea breeze.
Despite the water looking clear and inviting, unfortunately you cannot swim in the ocean. Saltwater crocodiles are very common in the waters surrounding the Retreat.
Box jelly fish are also common in the waters from the start of October through to end of May each year.
We have an impressive 12 metre beachfront pool at the Retreat that is the perfect place for a swim.
Yes. Whether you are relaxing on the Retreat deck or walking along 5 Mile beach, you have the chance to spot some incredible wildlife including; crocodiles, manta rays, dolphins, turtles, dingos and a variety of birds which are found on the island.
Any time of year is good to travel to Tiwi Island Retreat! Our rooms are air-conditioned and the sea breeze from Timor Sea keeps things cool all year around. However, the Retreat is closed over the wet season every year from December to March.
Here’s everything you need to know about fishing in the Top End.
The wet season’s monsoonal rains bring the landscape to life. At this time of year, barra are sometimes on the bite in the tidal rivers, even if they are flooded, though hooking a barra can take quite a bit of hunting around before you locate a patch of feeding fish.
Bluewater fishing is totally dependent on the weather conditions during the wet season. However, in between monsoons, conditions can improve and anglers have the opportunity to catch quality fish offshore, especially reef fish such as golden snapper, black jewfish, tricky snapper, cod, coral trout and red emperor.
However, during this period the Retreat is closed for information on improved weather conditions and epic fishing!
Run off: March to April
Supposedly the best season for barramundi fishing around the mouths of creeks and on the rivers in the Top End region. The barra are still up on the plains or in the channels start to move out before water levels get too low, and their exit points into the main river are the creek mouths.
The run-off is very popular with locals, who have often been biding their time over the wet to get into some serious barra action. Thousands of interstate anglers also descend on the Top End during the run-off. Depending on the extent of the wet season on different river floodplains, the run-off is usually over by the end of April.
March and April are great months for bluewater fishing across the Top End. With the strong northerly winds of the wet season finished, and the easterlies of the dry season yet to start, calm seas often prevail.
Build Up: Dry Season – May to September
Clear blue skies, south-easterly breezes, and sensational sunsets mean great bluewater and tidal river fishing. Longtail tuna, cobia, queenfish and giant and golden trevally commonly travel side-by-side as they work the bait schools. For the dedicated fisherman, this time of year presents the opportunity to land a host of exciting species.
Reef fishing for quality table fish also heats up during the dry season. Popular species like the golden snapper, tricky snapper, black jewfish, coral trout, and red emperor are readily caught on both inshore and offshore reefs.
Build up: October to December
The pre-monsoonal ‘build-up’ can produce the best fishing of all the seasons in the Top End and in Darwin. The barramundi breeding season begins in around October each year, which brings big female breeders and the smaller mature male fish to congregate around river mouths and estuaries to spawn.
For the blue water angler, offshore conditions are generally the calmest of the year between October and December, so it’s often possible to travel longer distances in large trailer boats, targeting the Top End’s abundant sport and reef fish species. These calm, windless conditions are also perfect for fly fishing.
Tiwi Island Retreat is the perfect place for a digital detox – we do not have wifi or mobile phone reception. We do however have a landline which is available for you to use upon request during your stay.
Just yourselves and your best island attire – light breathable clothing. Think long sleeve linen shirts, loose long pants, swimwear, thongs/sandals. You won’t need more than one pair of shoes as you will probably spend most of the time barefoot.
We supply in your accommodation all linen, bath, pool towels and toiletries (shampoo, conditioner and soap). We also provide sunscreen and insect repellent.
You are limited to 12kgs of luggage per person. Luggage is to be in a soft bag for transport. Oversize or excessive baggage can be stored at Air Frontier during your stay.
ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES
Return Darwin transfers included
Your return transfer from Darwin to Tiwi Island Retreat is included in your stay.
Flights with HM Air depart from 1 Bonney Court, Darwin. Once your deposit has been paid, our bookings team will organise your transfers and send you a detailed itinerary with your flight and arrival information.
Simply book your stay, pay your deposit, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Flight times generally follow a fixed schedule but can be adjusted to suit your connecting flights, subject to availability. Please discuss your requirements with our bookings team [email protected].
We do not recommend booking connecting interstate flights on the arrival or departure days of the Retreat unless there is ample time between connections.
Our Retreat is not directly accessible by car or plane; therefore, we only offer transfers from nearby airstrips.
Our staff will meet you at the Port Hurd airstrip and drive you by boat (15-min ride) to the Retreat. From Port Hurd airstrip, you will then be transferred by a 15-min boat ride to the Retreat. Transfers to and from the airstrip to the Retreat, are included in your package.
If you are travelling via helicopter, the helicopter will arrive and depart directly at the Retreat.
experiences
You can simply relax and enjoy the Retreats exclusive beachfront location. Without leaving the Retreat deck you can laze by the pool or bar area while reading your favourite book or if you’re feeling like it you can go for a stroll along 5-Mile Beach where you get the chance to spot local wildlife.
You also have the option to enhance your stay by booking one or all of our additional activities such as world class fishing adventures, indigenous cultural tours, picnic buggy tours and helicopter rides to idyllic remote waterholes. To view our range of memorable experiences, click here.
Extra experiences can be booked once your all-inclusive package is confirmed. You’ll receive a confirmation email from our booking system with a list of experiences you can choose from.
Due to availability, please book your extra experiences prior to arriving at the Retreat to avoid missing out.
We offer cultural and art tours to the communities of Wurrumiyanga (Tiwi by Design) and Milakapiti (Jilamara Fine Art Experience). These tours are accessible via light aircraft or helicopter. Mode of transport is dependent on availability.
You can explore the estuary and offshore waters surrounding the Retreat by booking guided fishing tours.
We do not offer car or boat hire.
Fishing and tackle gear is included in your package so there is no need to bring your own. However, you are more than welcome to bring along your favourite lures or fishing rod, as long as it fits on the plane and is part of your 12kg luggage limit. Lost or damaged fishing gear may be required to be replaced at a cost to you.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
We cater for all dietaries. Please let our Reservations Team know at the time of booking.
There is no BYO alcohol permitted. Tiwi Island Retreat is a fully licensed premises with a well-stocked bar.