Weddings at Goolawah.

Ceremony, reception and accommodation all in one place, surrounded by nature on the beautiful Mid North Coast.

Say ‘I do’ at Goolawah

Just minutes from the beaches of Crescent Head, Goolawah Retreat brings together 28 acres of bushland, tropical gardens and sweeping ocean views for a wedding that feels effortlessly relaxed and completely your own.

More than just a wedding venue, Goolawah gives you the freedom to stay the whole weekend, with three nights and four days of exclusive hire to celebrate with your favourite people. At the heart of the property, our architecturally designed Pavilion opens onto the Courtyard, creating a beautiful indoor-outdoor space made for long lunches, sunset drinks and celebrations that roll well into the night. As the sun goes down, festoon lights glow overhead, the fire pit comes to life and Goolawah settles into that laid-back magic that makes you want to stay a little longer.

The Weekend

3-day exclusive hire
Late curfew
Time to set up + settle in
Wet-weather options

Your Stay

Five self-contained cottages
Sleeps up to 32 guests onsite
Additional camping available
Crescent Head just minutes away

The Spaces

Multiple ceremony locations
The Pavilion + Courtyard
Ocean, bush + tropical garden settings
Lawn for drinks + games

Make it Yours

No set packages
Bring your own suppliers
Curated local vendor list available
Festoon lighting + furniture included

A Picture-Perfect Venue for your Special Day

Set across 28 acres of natural bushland, tropical gardens and sweeping ocean views, Goolawah Retreat is made for couples who want their wedding to feel relaxed, personal and a little different.

Just minutes from Crescent Head, our architecturally designed Pavilion and Courtyard create an easy indoor-outdoor setting, with drop-down blinds providing a wet-weather option without compromising the atmosphere.

With a three-night stay, five self-contained cottages, additional camping and the freedom to choose your own styling, catering and vendors, you can make the place completely your own — and turn your wedding day into a whole weekend with your favourite people.

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A bride and groom walking hand in hand down a forest path, surrounded by tall trees and greenery, with sunlight filtering through the leaves, during their wedding day.
A outdoor wedding celebration with a bride and groom holding hands and raising their arms in victory, smiling. The bride is wearing a white wedding dress, and the groom is in a brown suit. Two bridesmaids in cream-colored dresses are standing to the left, holding bouquets and waving. On the right, a man in a brown jacket and cream pants is clapping. The scene is decorated with floral arrangements on white pedestals and vases, set in a grassy area surrounded by trees.

Explore Our Spaces

  • A warmly lit, decorated dining area with string lights on the ceiling, set for a banquet with candles, wine bottles, plates, glasses, and floral centerpieces.

    The Pavillion

    An all-weather space for dining, dancing and celebrating.

  • A newly married couple stands on a grassy field, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery, during golden hour in an outdoor setting.| Goolawah Retreat Wedding Crescent Head

    The Garden

    Lush, tropical and naturally beautiful, surrounded by greenery.

  • A couple dressed in wedding attire, standing on a sandy beach holding hands with cliffs and the ocean in the background.| Goolawah Retreat Wedding Crescent Head

    Ocean View Vows

    Say “I do” with endless ocean views stretching out behind you.

  • The Lawn

    The Lawn

    Lawn games, sunset drinks and plenty of room to play.

  • The Courtyard

    The Courtyard

    The perfect spot for post-ceremony drinks, canapés and mingling, and dancing under the stars later on.

Create your day, your way

No set packages. No cookie-cutter weddings. At Goolawah, you have the freedom to create a celebration that feels entirely your own — with a little help from us whenever you need it.

Bring your own caterer, stylist, florist, bar team and music, or tap into our trusted network of local suppliers and recommendations. As a small, family-run venue, we know the area, we know weddings, and we’re always happy to share advice, contacts and local knowledge to make planning that little bit easier.

The Pavilion and Courtyard are yours to transform, with festoon lighting and furniture already included. Choose from beautiful ceremony locations across the property, make use of the lawns and outdoor spaces, and bring your four-legged guests along too — Goolawah is pet-friendly.

Best of all, there’s no need to squeeze everything into a few short hours. With three nights and four days of exclusive hire, five self-contained cottages sleeping up to 32 guests and additional camping available, there’s time to settle in, celebrate properly and enjoy having your favourite people all in one place.

Stay the whole weekend.

More than just a wedding venue, Goolawah is a place to celebrate, stay and make a whole weekend of it.

With three nights and four days of exclusive hire, there's no need to squeeze your celebrations into just a few hours. Arrive, settle in, enjoy welcome drinks, celebrate your big day and gather everyone together for a relaxed recovery brunch before heading home.

Our five self-contained cottages each sleep up to six guests, with an additional studio attached to the Pavilion sleeping two. There's also the option of camping for extra guests, so your favourite people can stay close and enjoy every moment together.

No rushing. No travelling between venues. Just more time with the people you love.

A group of seven women sitting on a brown sofa in a living room, wearing matching light blue robes, holding glasses of orange juice, smiling at the camera.
Wooden house with a deck and railing, surrounded by desert plants and trees, with a cloudy sky in the background.
Group of women and one man sitting around a fire pit outdoors, smiling and talking, some holding drinks
view cottages

Your wedding. Your people. Your place for the weekend. 

Download our Wedding Brochure for everything you need to know about getting married at Goolawah — from venue spaces and accommodation to what’s included, how it all works and everything you need to start planning your weekend. 

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Real Weddings at Goolawah

A Little Love From Our Brides

Testimonials
Alex

“We honestly can't recommend Goolawah Retreat highly enough. We visited so many wedding venues, expecting it to be a difficult decision to find the perfect place. But the moment we arrived at Goolawah, we just knew. The conversation wasn't, "We could make this work"—it was, "We can already picture our wedding here." We instantly had a vision for our day, and no other venue gave us that feeling.”

Alex

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Ashley

“We had the best weekend and wedding day at Goolawah Retreat. The venue is absolutely stunning, the cabins are beautiful and well equipped. Our Wedding day was perfect all our vendors were wonderful. The moment I viewed the property I knew it was our place.”

Ashley

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Tia

“ Goolawah Retreat is an absolute paradise! We recently held our destination wedding here, and it was nothing short of perfect. Our wedding parties stayed in the beautiful Melaleuca and Blackbutt cottages for the entire weekend, while our immediate family were comfortably accommodated in the smaller villas—making it so convenient for our parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews to be with us.”

Tia

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sherrie

“Truly the best venue for any event. We had our wedding here and I couldn’t recommend this place enough. The vibe, energy and landscapes around Goolawah are unmatched! It’s the perfect destination for a wedding. Having the cabins onsite and the flexibility to make the space your own is next to none. Summer and Knox are both lovely and really easy and prompt to communicate with. Do it. Book at Goolawah!!”

Sherrie

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Eleni

“Best wedding venue ever! Stunning location, accommodation on site for ~30 guests, you get the venue for 4 days and 3 nights and Summer and her husband are an absolute pleasure to work with. I cannot recommend Goolawah enough.”

Eleni

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Emma

“We absolutely loved getting married here. The venue was beautiful, the cabins were tidy and comfortable and Summer and Knoxy were lovely and super helpful.”

Emma

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Sherrie

“Truly the best venue for any event. We had our wedding here and I couldn’t recommend this place enough. The vibe, energy and landscapes around Goolawah are unmatched!”

Sherrie

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Jordan

“Goolawah is such a special place, and was absolutely perfect for our wedding! Having 3 nights of accomodation just makes it so much nicer, and easy to slow down/enjoy the experience.”

Jordan

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Alex

“We honestly can't recommend Goolawah Bush & Beach Retreat highly enough. We visited so many wedding venues, expecting it to be a difficult decision to find the perfect place. But the moment we arrived at Goolawah, we just knew.”

Alex

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Goolawah Wedding FAQ’s

  • No stress — Goolawah Retreat has a wet-weather option covered. Our Pavilion provides a beautiful undercover space for your ceremony and reception, with drop-down blinds offering extra protection from the elements. You can still enjoy the relaxed indoor-outdoor feel of your Crescent Head wedding, whatever the weather decides to do.

  • Crescent Head is approximately five hours' drive north of Sydney, making Goolawah Retreat a beautiful option for a destination wedding on the NSW Mid North Coast. With onsite accommodation and three-day exclusive hire, you and your guests can make a proper weekend of it rather than rushing home after the celebrations.

  • Yes! Goolawah Retreat offers exclusive property hire for three nights and four days, giving you time to settle in, celebrate and enjoy a wedding weekend without feeling rushed.

    You'll have access to the property's wedding and gathering spaces, including the pavilion, courtyard, lawns, ceremony locations and onsite accommodation. There's plenty of time to organise your wedding setup, enjoy welcome drinks with your guests, celebrate your big day and finish the weekend with a relaxed recovery brunch.

    It's your own private retreat on the Mid North Coast, with the freedom to create a celebration that feels personal to you.

  • Absolutely. Goolawah Retreat is pet-friendly, so your four-legged family members don't have to miss out on the celebrations. If you're planning to include your dog in your wedding or have guests bringing pets, just chat to us about the arrangements beforehand.

  • Yes. Along with our five self-contained cottages sleeping up to 32 guests, additional camping is available for wedding guests. It's a great way to keep more of your favourite people together onsite and make the most of your three-day wedding celebration at Goolawah Retreat.

  • Goolawah Retreat accommodates up to 32 guests onsite across five self-contained cottages and a studio attached to the pavilion. Each cottage sleeps up to six guests, while the pavilion studio sleeps an additional two.

    The cottages feature fully equipped kitchens, comfortable living spaces and private decks, with leafy surrounds and ocean views from selected cottages. Additional camping options may also be available for guests who would like to stay on the property.

    For friends and family who need alternative accommodation, the nearby coastal village of Crescent Head offers additional places to stay.

  • Absolutely! Goolawah Retreat is designed for couples who want to celebrate beyond the wedding day.

    With three nights and four days of exclusive property hire, you can plan a relaxed arrival and welcome gathering, enjoy your wedding day with family and friends, then finish with a Sunday recovery brunch before everyone heads home.

    The courtyard, pavilion and outdoor grounds provide flexible spaces for gathering, sharing meals and spending quality time together. Catering and event arrangements can be tailored to your plans, subject to the venue's booking conditions and event requirements.

  • Yes! Goolawah Retreat is well suited to couples looking for a flexible DIY wedding venue on the Mid North Coast. Rather than being restricted to a fully packaged wedding, you can personalise the celebration with your own styling, catering arrangements and preferred suppliers, subject to the venue's conditions.

    The property provides a beautiful natural backdrop, a pavilion and courtyard, outdoor ceremony locations, festoon lighting and outdoor furniture. Goolawah also has a list of recommended local vendors to help make planning easier.

    If you're dreaming of a relaxed coastal wedding with your own choice of food, drinks, decorations and entertainment, Goolawah offers the flexibility to make the day your own. Confirm current BYO alcohol, catering, supplier and noise policies when enquiring.

  • Goolawah Retreat is located at 288 Point Plomer Road, Crescent Head, on the NSW Mid North Coast. Surrounded by natural bushland and coastal scenery, the property feels private and secluded while remaining within easy reach of the local village and surrounding region.

    The retreat is approximately 3–4 km from Crescent Head village, just a few minutes by car. Port Macquarie is around 65–75 km to the south, making it a convenient option for guests travelling via Port Macquarie Airport. Coffs Harbour is further north along the coast and is also accessible by road.

    With beaches, coastal walks and national parks nearby, Goolawah is an ideal destination for couples wanting a wedding weekend that combines celebration, accommodation and a relaxed coastal escape.

Outdoor wedding venue with a grassy area, trees in the background, and a large group of people gathered. There is a sign on an easel that reads "John and Kristin," indicating a wedding or celebration.