It's Tasmanian
for winter

The Off Season

French-Swiss artist Julian Charrière is marking a descent into deep time at Mona. Come and sample sculpture, film, photography and installation from the full breadth of Charrière's elemental output—where stone grinds, iceberg groans, mountain heaves—bridging nature, science, history, industry, myth and morality. Until 29 March 2027

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The Off Season

A winter festival for curious adults Smart, surprising, and seriously entertaining: Beaker Street Festival is bringing its signature mix of science, art, and connection back to Lutruwita/Tasmania this August. Beaker Street Festival is Tasmania's annual celebration of science and culture. This year, the Festival takes place 6 to 17 August, with a Nipaluna/Hobart hub as well as events around the state. It's also their 10th birthday, so expect an even bigger party than usual! For two weeks, Beaker Street Festival brings scientists, artists, musicians, chefs, storytellers, adventurers, and audiences together for a program of talks, performances, field trips, workshops, food experiences, live music, nightlife, and large-scale public events. It's one of Australia's most distinctive winter festivals: playful, thought-provoking, social, and deeply connected to Tasmania's landscapes, creativity, and scientific culture.

The Off Season

An evening of extraordinary storytelling and song. Join in as Opera Australia, one of the world's most celebrated opera companies, takes over the historic Albert Hall for an evening that promises passion and peril, heroes and monsters, lovers and liars. Whether you're an opera devotee or simply curious, this is a very special event you will not want to miss.

The Off Season

Awesome community trail running events on Hobart's iconic mountain! Spanning four events across the year, the Series offers adventure, community spirit and a chance to immerse yourself in nature! At each event, choose from the longer Enduro distance or the shorter Sport distance. The Sport distance is fantastic if you're a trail kid (or have one at home!), if you'd prefer to run a shorter run, or if you're dipping your toes into trail running for the first time. They also have a third category, the Taster, with a 5km "pram-able" course at Tolosa in August, and shorter distances at our Ridgy Didge (September 27) event too. The courses feature trails through alpine heaths and past dolerite cliffs, to dry peppermint forests and buttongrass moorland. The Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal community) generously welcome and share Kunanyi with trail runners – and for that, they're eternally grateful. Your support crew are very welcome to join in, and they have BBQs, and games for the kids at the Event hubs, to give you the chance to have a yarn and connect with others in this beautiful trail running community.

The Off Season

Looking for a mid-winter reset? Unwind, Launceston's debut wellness festival is here for you. Over ten days, the city known for world-class cuisine and wine reveals a more serene side, with a programme of saunas, Pilates, meditation, nourishing food and nature-based experiences. From candlelit yoga and ice baths to sunset cruises and creative classes – Unwind delivers movement, connection and a healthy dose of Tasmania's winter rituals to help you reset during the darker months. Hosted by Launceston Central, Unwind is a celebration of Launceston's wellness sector featuring 40+ events to choose from. Whether you're craving movement, mindfulness, creativity or connection, Unwind is your excuse to step away from the rush, breathe deeply and embrace Launceston's cool-season magic. Visit the website for the full program. Follow @launcestoncentral (Facebook and Instagram) and @unwind_launceston (Instagram) for live program updates.

The Off Season

Step into the heart of the 196 year old heritage guest kitchen for an intimate afternoon of flour, flavour, and fine Tasmanian hospitality. Led by Head Chef James Paul Miller, this Cavatelli Masterclass and lunch offers a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes and learn the rhythmic art of traditional hand-rolled pasta. You will dive into the history and technique of the cavatelli shape—small, hollow shells perfectly designed to capture the rich sauces of a seasonal menu. Under Chef James's expert guidance, you'll learn the secrets to the perfect dough consistency and the tactile "rolling" motion that defines this southern Italian staple. The Experience Hands-On Masterclass: A guided, interactive session where you'll craft your own pasta from scratch using the finest semolina and farm-fresh ingredients, along with 3 different seasonal sauces which match perfectly with this pasta dish. The Shared Lunch: Following the workshop, take your seat in the heritage for a relaxed, pasta lunch. Enjoy the fruits of your labour alongside a curated dish prepared by the kitchen team, highlighting the "paddock-to-plate" philosophy and the best of the season's harvest.

The Off Season

The Bay of Fires Women's Photography Escape is a multi-day small group experience in one of Tasmania's most striking coastal regions. Designed for women who would like to dedicate meaningful time to photography in nature, the escape combines immersive landscape experiences with supportive, guided learning. Set along Tasmania's north-east coast, the Bay of Fires is renowned for its white sands, turquoise waters and distinctive orange-lichen granite boulders. Over several days, participants explore a variety of coastal locations at different times of light, experiencing the subtle shifts in mood that shape each photographic opportunity. Led by nature photographer and guide Coreena Vieth of Shutterbug Walkabouts, the escape unfolds at an unhurried pace. Time in the field is balanced with informal tutorials and image review sessions, allowing learning to develop naturally through experience. The focus is on building confidence, refining technique and encouraging each participant's individual way of seeing, rather than rigid schedules or technical perfection. Shutterbug Walkabouts' Women's Photography Escapes offer an enriching blend of nature immersion, creative exploration and supportive mentoring, inviting women to step away from the everyday and return home creatively re-energised.

The Off Season

Bird Photography for beginners is a hands-on workshop designed for people who want to learn the foundational skills of nature photography in a real-world setting. This immersive small group experience introduces core photography principles and how they apply when photographing birds in their natural environments. Led by an experienced nature photography guide, the workshop balances time in the field with practical instruction and personalised feedback. Participants explore basic camera settings, movement and focusing techniques, and how to work with light and natural behaviour to capture more intentional wildlife images. Rather than overwhelming you with technical detail, the focus is on building confidence and helping you make thoughtful choices with your camera. By the end of the day, you will have strengthened your understanding of photography fundamentals and developed the skills to continue practising wildlife photography with greater ease and enjoyment. This workshop offers an engaging way to connect with the birdlife in Tasmania's natural environment while growing your photography skills in a supportive and encouraging setting.

The Off Season

Take a winter afternoon's exploration of Gunns Plains that starts by the fire in Leven Valley Vineyard's cosy cellar door, discovering the flavours of the estate's still and sparkling wines alongside platters of delicious Tasmanian produce. Further the adventure, driving along the valley to Gunns Plains Caves where you will visit otherworldly locations beneath the surface of the valley, to musical accompaniment.

The Off Season

Embrace the quiet magic of Tasmania's East Coast—where time stretches, the air sharpens, and creativity feels just a little easier to catch. The Hazard peaks rise over vines and water as you take a midwinter moment to slow down, settle in, and spark your creativity. Guided by a local artist, you'll try some warm-up sketches before painting your own landscape inspired by the views from the cellar door windows – whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned creative. Held on the last Thursday of each month, 28 May–27 August. Arrive from 10:45am, for 11am start. $75 per person. Brunch dishes and cool-climate wines are available at extra cost.

The Off Season

For opera's own Casanova, it's just another day of pleasure seeking. Seducing a bride on her wedding day. Breaking into a woman's bedroom in the dead of night. Killing her furious father. Even before the curtain rises, Mozart reveals Don Giovanni's fate. An earth-shattering chord from the orchestra signals the gates of hell clanging open. The scoundrel's debauched days are at an end. Opera Australia's National Tour returns to Burnie with a fabulous, 1950s-inspired staging of Mozart's dark comedic masterpiece. The production is directed by Michael Gow (writer of the seminal Australian play Away) and features a cast of some of Opera Australia's finest singers, performing alongside a live chamber orchestra.

The Off Season

Wildlife Photography for beginners is a hands-on workshop designed for people who want to learn the foundational skills of nature photography in a real-world setting. This immersive small group experience introduces core photography principles and how they apply when photographing wildlife in their natural environments. Led by an experienced nature photography guide, the workshop balances time in the field with practical instruction and personalised feedback. Participants explore basic camera settings, movement and focusing techniques, and how to work with light and natural behaviour to capture more intentional wildlife images. Rather than overwhelming you with technical detail, the focus is on building confidence and helping you make thoughtful choices with your camera. By the end of the day, you will have strengthened your understanding of photography fundamentals and developed the skills to continue practising wildlife photography with greater ease and enjoyment. This workshop offers an engaging way to connect with Tasmania's natural environment and wildlife while growing your photography skills in a supportive and encouraging setting.

The Off Season

A mythic tale about staying connected at the edge of the world. On a remote Scottish island, Eilidh, its youngest resident, feels torn between two worlds. The mainland holds the promise of opportunity, yet she knows the island traditions that shaped her life are at risk of disappearing. When a mysterious stranger washes ashore, the boundaries of Eilidh's island life expand in ways she never could have imagined. Islander sees two performers playing multiple roles, using live vocal looping and layered recording technology to bring the island's community to life. Every voice and harmony is created live and in the moment, supported by a folk-inspired score. As island and rural communities are shrinking, humans are drifting further from each other and their environments. Islander offers a modern fable about finding the strength to face the oncoming tide through connection, resilience and belonging. Conceived by Amy Draper Book by Stewart Melton Music & Lyrics by Finn Anderson Directed by Finn Carter and Jack Lark