Everything You Need to Know About UWA Wedding Photography Permits in Perth
Wedding photography at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth requires a UWA Photo Permit: $100 for one hour, bought online through Ticketswa before your wedding day. Campus security will ask to see it.
UWA’s Crawley campus is one of our favourite places for wedding portraits in Perth, Western Australia. It is also private property, and in my experience UWA has been enforcing its photography permit rules much more closely in 2026. The permit is something you, the couple, need to buy — it isn’t part of your photography package.
This guide covers whether you need a permit, how to buy one and what it costs, the rules that come with it, and how to get the most from your UWA portrait session: the locations we love, the best time to arrive and where to park.
Do You Need a Permit for Wedding Photos at UWA?
Required for wedding photosYes. Any wedding photography on UWA’s Crawley campus, whether by you or by a photographer you hire, needs a UWA Photo Permit. On the day, patrolling security staff will ask to see it.
The campus in Perth, Western Australia is private property, and UWA uses photography permits to manage how its grounds are used for photos. Permits aren’t new — UWA has sold paid photo tickets through Ticketswa since at least 2015, when they cost $90 — but in my experience, UWA has been enforcing them much more closely in 2026, with patrolling security staff checking permits on campus. Without a permit you can be escorted off campus, which is the last thing you want halfway through your wedding portraits.
Why the permit works in your favour
- Fewer weddings at once. UWA limits the number of permits issued each day, so you share the archways, lawns and reflection pond with fewer wedding parties.
- Your date is cleared. Permits are only released when the University schedule allows — exams, graduation ceremonies and major events come first — so a permit means your hour on campus is confirmed.
- No awkward interruptions. With your permit ready on your phone, a security check takes seconds and your portrait session keeps flowing.
The permit is bought by the couple, not the photographer. As part of our pre-wedding timeline support and planning, James Di Stefano will tell you how many permits to book, so your permit matches your portrait session.
How to Buy a UWA Photo Permit and What It Costs
$100 · per hourA UWA Photo Permit costs $100 and covers one hour on campus on the date you choose. For a longer session, buy one permit per hour — UWA’s own example is three permits for two and a half hours.
How to book your permit
- Pick your date and time — permits are available any time on weekends and during semester breaks, and from 5:30 pm onwards on weekdays during semester.
- Buy online — through the UWA Photo Permit page on Ticketswa. The UWA photo permit FAQs cover the finer details.
- Buy one permit per hour — each permit is valid for one hour on one date.
- Keep it on your phone — security will ask to see it during your session.
The rules that come with your permit
- Permits are non-refundable and only valid on the date you book.
- No confetti or rose petals, and no alcohol on campus — save the champagne for the reception.
- No plugging in electrical equipment.
- No drones without separate University approval, pilot certification and insurance.
- The Sunken Garden and the Tropical Grove are reserved for couples who book their ceremony there.
- Park in designated parking only (see where to park).
Buy your permit as soon as your date is set. UWA limits the number of permits each day, so if you leave it late, they may all be gone for your date. If your date isn’t on sale yet, it may simply be too far ahead — dates are released once the University calendar is confirmed.
Why Have Your Wedding Portraits at UWA?
UWA is one of our favourite wedding portrait locations in Perth, Western Australia, because one short walk gives you several completely different looks.
What makes UWA special
- Timeless archways. The cobblestone archways and cloisters around Winthrop Hall give your photos a classic, timeless feel.
- Courtyards and green lawns. Whitfeld Court and the surrounding lawns are open, green and soft — perfect for relaxed, natural portraits.
- The reflection pond at Winthrop Hall. On a still evening the pond mirrors the hall and the sky, one of the most striking backdrops in Perth.
- The Sunken Garden. A beautiful setting if your ceremony is at UWA; for portrait-only sessions it’s reserved for ceremony bookings.
- Beautiful light. An hour before sunset, the warm, low light glows through the archways and across the lawns (see the best time for photos).
- Central and easy. UWA is about 15 minutes from Perth’s CBD and most city venues, with easy parking in Car Park 52.
UWA is just as beautiful for a pre-wedding shoot, and it’s a relaxed way to get comfortable in front of the camera before the big day. Read why we recommend a pre-wedding session. The same permit applies.
The Best Time for Wedding Photos at UWA
1 hour before sunsetArrive about an hour before sunset. The low, warm light is soft and flattering, it glows through the archways, and the reflection pond picks up the colour of the evening sky.
Perth, Western Australia doesn’t have daylight saving, so sunset moves through the year from about 7:25 pm in midsummer to about 5:20 pm in midwinter. In practice, that means arriving around 6:15 to 6:30 pm in December and January, and around 4:15 to 4:30 pm in June and July.
Match your permit to the light
- Weekends and semester breaks: permits are available all day, so you can always book the hour before sunset.
- Weekdays during semester: permits start at 5:30 pm. From mid-October to mid-March that lines up with the hour before sunset; through autumn and winter the sun sets earlier, so a weekend or semester break gives you the best light.
One permit covers an hour; if you’d like more locations or a longer session, add a second. Our wedding photography timeline guide shows how to fit your portrait session into the rest of the day.
Where to Park for Wedding Photos at UWA
Car Park 52Park in Car Park 52, beside the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, off Fairway Entrance 1. It’s a close walk to all of our UWA shoot locations — Winthrop Hall, the reflection pond, the archways and the lawns.
Car Park 52 has visitor bays that are paid by the hour ($3 an hour through the EasyPark app or the parking machines). UWA’s paid parking runs from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays, so it’s free on weekends and in the evening.
Many couples don’t park at all. Your wedding car, limousine or driver can drop you at Car Park 52 and pick you up again after your session — everything is a close walk from there.
Getting there
- Open Car Park 52 in Google Maps
- About 15 minutes’ drive from Perth’s CBD and from most city wedding venues.
- Enter UWA (35 Stirling Highway, Crawley) from Fairway, at Fairway Entrance 1.
- Permit sessions must use designated parking, so park in a marked bay rather than on lawns or roadsides.
If you’re being dropped off, give your driver Car Park 52 as the pick-up point too, and allow a few minutes either side so your permit hour is spent on photos.
UWA Wedding Photography FAQs
Why choose UWA for wedding photos in Perth?
UWA is one of our favourite wedding portrait locations in Perth, Western Australia, because one campus gives you several completely different looks in a short walk.
Timeless cobblestone archways, courtyards and green lawns, and the reflection pond at Winthrop Hall all sit close together, and an hour before sunset the light is beautiful. It’s also central — about 15 minutes from Perth’s CBD and most city venues — with easy parking.
Where should we park for wedding photos at UWA?
Park in Car Park 52, beside the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, off Fairway Entrance 1 — or be dropped off and picked up there.
It’s a close walk to all of the shoot locations. Car Park 52 has visitor bays paid by the hour ($3 an hour through EasyPark between 8 am and 5 pm on weekdays; free on weekends and in the evening), and many couples simply have their wedding car or limousine drop them off and collect them after the session. Open Car Park 52 in Google Maps.
What time of day is best for wedding photos at UWA?
Arrive about an hour before sunset, when the light is soft, warm and flattering.
In Perth that’s around 6:15 to 6:30 pm in December and January, and around 4:15 to 4:30 pm in June and July.
Can we have our UWA wedding photos on a weekday?
Yes, but during semester, weekday permits only start at 5:30 pm.
From mid-October to mid-March that suits the hour before sunset. In autumn and winter the sun sets earlier, so a weekend or semester break gives you the best light. Exams, graduation ceremonies and major events can also make some dates unavailable.
Do we need a permit if our wedding ceremony is at UWA?
No. A wedding ceremony booked on campus includes a complimentary one-hour photography ticket.
Ceremony couples can also use the Sunken Garden and the Tropical Grove, which aren’t available for portrait-only sessions.
Ready to Plan Your UWA Wedding Portraits?
Book your UWA Photo Permit as soon as your date is set, check where to park, then tell us your date and venue anywhere in Perth or Western Australia — James Di Stefano will plan your portrait session around the best light and the locations you love.
