There are few views more iconic than those from The Island in Sydney.
Overlooking the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the Australian floating beach club offers a setting ripe for Insta-worthy content. While the 350 square metre space can be anchored in multiple locations in the Harbour, it takes up a regular spot just off the shore of the secluded Farm Cove or Athol Bay to maximise the panorama.
As if the location wasn’t enough to pull in punters, The Island’s events director, Liv Segnini, has fused the extraordinary backdrop with European beach club culture and five-star service. The result is an exclusive luxury destination for “sun-drenched days and unforgettable nights”.
“Every event is unique and designed to send its own message,” Liv explains. “My mission is to deliver the best experience in conveying that message, with hospitality as a primary focus.”
The Island’s flagship events are its summer Beach Club parties, held every Saturday and Sunday from late September to early May. Party-loving tourists and locals arrive by private water taxi from the nearby Double Bay Wharf every 30 minutes. As the sun goes down, local and international DJs keep the vibes coming with a mix of dance, disco, house, and techno sets.
As well as a fully-licensed and serviced cocktail bar, the venue – opened in 2010 – has a sea pool attached, meaning guests can also take full advantage of the waterside location. A fully extendable roof can also offer respite from the sun (or the occasional shower).
With Eventbrite’s TRNDS 2024 report revealing that attendance at events mentioning “VIP” grew globally by 18% on Eventbrite between January to September 2023 (compared to the same period in 2022), there’s the chance for The Island guests to party with a bit of extra glamour, too.
Banquette and Table Packages include priority entry, bottle service, exclusive access to rooftop zones, and more. The Island’s ‘ambassadors’ programme also keeps valued customers informed of all upcoming events and gives them special access to parties.
“Hosting is an important part of execution. Regardless of the event, my main goal is to make each guest feel welcomed and pampered,” says Liv, who compares seeing all the different elements of events management coming together for guests’ enjoyment to “completing a work of art”.
“It’s a truly fulfilling process,” she says. “I love seeing events come to life.”
In her role, Liv also gets to flex many different muscles. In addition to ticketed events, The Island diversifies its revenue streams by being available for private hire from Monday to Friday during the summer season.
She works with clients to bring everything from PR product launches and corporate gatherings to weddings and bar mitzvahs to life.
Highlighting the 250-300 capacity venue’s versatility, Liv notes that some private events “often require styling to suit a specific brief, allowing you to transform the space and create a completely different atmosphere” from the usual beach club.
She admits she “has a soft spot” in particular for weddings. “There’s something magical about events that involve a lot of emotion,” she says.
“I also love our end-of-year parties because they’re a great way to show appreciation to the people who work hard to elevate the business.”
Whatever event she plans, though, Liv has learned to embrace change and “have fun with it.”
“Bringing an idea to life requires adaptation,” she says. “Event planning is about translating concepts into execution, and navigating challenges is a fundamental part of the process. Using creativity in fun and unexpected ways is what will make you overcome obstacles and deliver incredible experiences.”
