Woody Island is the most accessible island in the Recherche Archipelago and the only one with visitor facilities: a nature reserve 15 km south-east of Esperance with a small harbour, jetty and an eco-camp operated under licence. Woody Island Eco Tours runs cruises and a passenger ferry from Esperance's Taylor Street Jetty in the warmer months, with wildlife viewing of Australian sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, dolphins and seabirds along the way.

Marine Life Network describes the harbour as a sheltered 10 m dive with a rocky bottom of crevices and boulders, sea lions, small fish and colourful corals – ideal if you are carrying heavy scuba gear on foot. The island is also home to flesh-footed shearwaters and little penguins, which gather in the evening.

The diving is easy and shallow, suitable for Open Water divers and snorkellers. The granite boulders carry kelp, sponges, encrusting corals and ascidians, with wrasse, sweep, old wives, scalyfin, western blue devils and harlequin fish. Sea lions from nearby islands sometimes visit.

Woody Island is a good way to experience the Recherche without a dedicated dive charter – particularly for divers who want to combine snorkelling, wildlife watching and an overnight stay on an island. More serious diving in the archipelago, including the Sanko Harvest, requires a boat trip with Esperance Diving & Fishing.

Woody Island is the only island in the Recherche Archipelago Nature Reserve with public access and use; the MacKenzie family built the visitor jetty from 1973 and has run tourism on the island since. The wider archipelago – 105 islands and more than 1,200 islets and rocks spread over 230 km – supports 263 recorded fish species and more than 450 sponge types, and a day on Woody Island is a gentle introduction to that diversity. Bring your own filled cylinders, weights and all equipment on the ferry, and check with the operator about gear limits.

Woody Island Eco Tours runs a passenger ferry/cruise from the Taylor Street Jetty on Esperance's waterfront to the island in the warmer months (about 45-60 minutes including wildlife stops), with day trips and stays at the island's eco-camp; divers can carry gear on the ferry and dive from the harbour. Private boats launch at Bandy Creek Boat Harbour (about 15 km/20-30 minutes to the island) and can use the harbour's mooring area. On the island, movement is on foot only.

The Recherche Archipelago lies open to the Southern Ocean, and the islands shelter each other only partly. Boat diving needs swell under about 2 m and winds under 15-20 knots; the prevailing south-westerly swell and winter cold fronts cancel many trips from May to September. Summer brings reliable morning calms but strong easterly sea breezes most afternoons.

Woody Island's harbour on the island's northern side is sheltered, which is why Marine Life Network recommends it for divers carrying heavy scuba gear on foot. It is exposed to northerly winds and chop. The ferry crossing itself can be cancelled in strong winds.

Enter from the harbour shore near the jetty, descend to 6-10 m and explore the rocky bottom of crevices and boulders along the harbour edge, then return to the entry. Snorkellers can cover the same area from the surface.

Woody Island Eco Tours – seasonal ferry and island stays (snorkelling from the harbour); Esperance Diving & Fishing – boat dives around the island on request.