A way to reduce Hobart's massive potential stadium debt

 

How can Tasmania help ease its tremendous debt should the controversial new Macquarie Point Stadium get the go head?

User pays would seem to be be a very fair system to all should Hobart's contentious multi-purpose stadium eventually be built. 

The proposed stadium has critics who says who sat it is too expensive, in the wrong location, poorly planned and atrociously ugly. And does not need a roof. 

Others says it is essential for the state. Both for the progress of Tasmania's finances, tourism, and for the AFL dream to become a reality 

Fair enough. 

Let those who are keen on the stadium and want to attend events help pay for it to be build, and kept maintained. And those who do not want it can completely ignore it. 

To help cover costs every person buying a ticket for an event could pay maybe a $50 user premium. Each time they attend an event. Kids maybe $25, or even $10. 

The sports fans and concert goers will be able to pay for the right to attend the shiny new 23,000-seat stadium and enjoy all of its its benefits.

Because surely Tasmanians would not want the hopes and dreams of their children to be carried on someone else's shoulders.

And visitors splashing out on air fares and hotel rooms would be unlikely to be dissuaded by paying an extra $50 for a match, or concert ticket. 

Think what happens now. If you want to catch a bus, you pay for it. Or decide not to travel. . 

If you wat to go into a restaurant and eat, you pay the price. Or decide not to eat.

If you want to visit a national park, you choose to visit it and pay a fee, or have the freedom not to enter.

Similarly if you want to upgrade your airline flight. You pay a premium. 

Those who decide they want to attend one of the seven AFL matches to be held each year in Hobart could easily pay $50 (or even $100) per person extra per event. Or choose to go to a match in Launceston without a roof instead.  

They would get to see to see games they would otherwise have to travel to Melbourne so see. That said, they would be saving a lot of money on flights, hotels etc while also boosting the local economy. 

The same when Bruce Springsteen or Maria Carey, or a Creedence tribute band, play a concert under the expensive roof. 

Those who want to attend and pay a premium payment would be happy about for not having to travel interstate. Those who prefer not to attend do pay anything. 

For seven home AFL fames fans would play $350 each season, or maybe $700. Same with cricket same, and concerts.  

All perfectly equitable. 

In fact, what could be fairer?  All the while helping the state and reining in that potential massive debt.    

  

Date clash a serious stuff up for Hobart's winter tourism industry

The Tasmanian capital of Hobart is extremely quiet for virtually every weekend of winter.

Hotels have empty rooms; restaurants bemoan empty tables.

So the announcement on November 3 that crowd-pulling Dark Mofo, Australia's mid-winter solstice festival, would return to Hobart from Thursday June 11 to Monday June 22 universally welcomed.

Alongside the festival’s large-scale public art installations, will be live performances and exclusive musical acts.

Dark Mofo 2026 will also include familiar rituals: Winter Feast, Night Mass, the Ogoh-Ogoh burning and the Nude Solstice Swim.

Hotels will be full; bars and restaurants heaving.

That only leaves a dozen other weekends when Hobart's tourism operators would welcome some help from other events.

What a wasted opportunity then that after the hapless Tasmanian Government paid a million dollars for Richmond to play one home AFL game in Hobart in 2026, the AFL last week announced its fixture list.

Sure enough, the AFL chose Sunday, June 14, for the Hobart match between Richmond and reigning AFL premiers Brisbane.

Accommodation will be at a premium; many flights will be full with Dark Mofo attendees and any remaining seats will be priced stratospherically.

So who stuffed up? Jane Howlett, minister for tourism and events will plead ignorance. Dark Mofo will say it had announced its dates well in advance.

The AFL, one of the most arrogant sporting bodies on the planet, is unlikely to give a damn.

There will be two victims. The Tasmanian tourism industry. And interstate fans of Richmond and Brisbane. Just another stuff up. A shrug of the shoulders, Just move on.      

Where to try wines from some of Tasmania’s best small producers

Want to taste wines from some of Tasmania's best emerging wine producers?

Or to sip on releases from small winemakers that often fly under the radar?

Budburst Wine Collective, headed by Joe Lenck, is holding its first Tasmanian Wine Expo in Hobart on on Saturday, December 6.

The event at RACV Hobart Hotel will feature 10 local winemakers and Lenck hopes it will become a regular fixture.

So if you haven't tried wines from the likes of Alice Davidson from Wines by Aunt Alice, from Marco Lubiana, or from newish labels like Future Perfect, or Cave Wines, here is an opportunity.

"We've gathered a group of 10 of the best young and talented local winemakers with their emerging brands," Lenck says.

With a few more vintages under their belt are Jonny Hughes from Hughes & Hughes, Kate Hill, Frieda Hensekens from sparkling specialist Henskens Rankin, Keira O'Brien from Rivulet Wines, Todd Goebel from Brinktop and Greer Carland from Quiet Mutiny

"With so much talent in one room, you won't want to miss this one and get amongst the future leaders of our Industry," Lenck says.

And each attendee gets to take home a free tasting glass.

# Budburst Collective is an online retail portal. Joe Lenck has worked for several of Australia’s leading wine wholesalers over a long career in the industry.

Tickets are $32 per person, plus booking fee. Go to https://www.oztix.com.au/ and search for Tassie Wine Expo.

Moo Brew set to celebrate 20 years of artisanal beers

Long before there was MONA, there was Moo Brew.

Moo Brew, the oldest and largest craft brewery in Tasmania, will celebrate turning 20 later this month.

With two specially-brewed limited release beers on offer and a party at MONA, beer lovers will be able to raise a glass to two decades of brewing led by MONA supremo David Walsh.

Walsh founded Moo Brew when he discovered a bottle he liked and wanted something to put in it.

The brewery was established in Berriedale at Moorilla Estate in 2005 - several years before Walsh’s museum opened its doors - later moving to their purpose-built home in Bridgewater.

In 2023 the team opened Manky Sally’s in Salamanca, a taphouse and nano-brewery boasting tiny tanks and an oversized attitude.

Moo Brew returns to MONA on Saturday, November 22, taking over the lawns to celebrate its r birthday with the help of the museum’s chef Vince Trim and an all-Tassie music line-up, There will then be a "riotous" after party at Manky Sally’s.

The two new limited-release beers, brewed to mark 20 years, are the Single Hop Tassie Pale Ale and Belgian Golden Strong Ale, brewed by all three of Moo Brew’s former and current head brewers: Owen Johnston (2005-2014), Dave MacGill (2014-2020) and Jack Viney (2020-present).

The Single Hop was re-released this week with the Belgian Strong Ale following on November 27.

The beers will be available in good bottle shops and venues around Tasmania and via Moo Brew’s website. Both will be available to Mona and Manky Sally’s imbibers on November 22 as part of the birthday celebrations.

Moo Brew Head Brewer Jack Viney says: 'It's not often a craft brewery makes it to 20 years, and it’s testament to the enduring love of Moo Brew - and the efforts of the people behind it -that we’re able to pull this off.

"Getting together with our former head brewers was so special, and we’re thrilled to present a traditional Belgian-style beer (a nod to David's beer cellar) in the OG bottle, as well as the much beloved Single Hop tallboy."

Birthday celebrations from 12pm–4:30pm at MONA will feature games, giveaways, flame-grilled lawn food from the Heavy Metal Kitchen, and a stout and oyster bar.

Beers and merch available via www.moobrew.com.au.

Dark Mofo returns to brighten up Tasmania's winter

Tasmania's Dark Mofo mid-winter solstice festival,will return in 2026 from Thursday, June 11-Monday, June 22.

Alongside large-scale public art installations, live performances and musical acts, Dark Mofo 2026 will include familiar rituals: Winter Feast, Night Mass, the Ogoh-Ogoh burning and the Nude Solstice Swim as the sun rises after the longest night of the year.

While the full festival program will be announced next year, organisers have revealed that a strictly limited first release of tickets to Night Mass - Dark Mofo's late-night takeover of Nipaluna/Hobart CBD - will go on sale at 10am on Wednesday, November 5, to those who have pre-registered via the Dark Mofo website.

"Mark your calendars," urged Dark Mofo artistic director Chris Twite. "It’s exciting to share Dark Mofo’s 2026 dates today as we take our first steps towards next year’s festival where we’ll once again bathe the streets in red, feast by firelight and indulge in a smorgasbord of art, music and performance.

"With plenty of surprises in store, revellers have an opportunity this week to access an early release of tickets to Night Mass and get a head start on planning their winter debauchery."

Following a one-year hiatus, the return of Dark Mofo in 2025 attracted over 50,000 interstate and overseas visitors to Tasmania and delivered over $67 million in economic benefit to the state.

"We’re so grateful for the continued support from David Walsh, and that of the Tasmanian Government, not to mention Tasmanian businesses, residents and visitors - all of whom enable us to continue celebrating the dark," Twite says.

Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events, Jane Howlett, said: "Dark Mofo is an iconic Tasmanian event, which drives visitation to the state during the off season and one that is recognised as a world-class winter festival. The Tasmanian Government is a proud supporter of this event.

‘Dark Mofo has something for everyone and we know how important it is to our tourism and hospitality sector during the quieter months. Visitors to Tasmanian events stay longer than the average visitor, and stays have grown, now 2.5 nights longer than they were in 2019."

 # Dark Mofo is a project of the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, with additional support provided by the City of Hobart.

Direct flights to launch between Hobart and Newcastle

Good news for wine lovers from the Hunter Valley wanting to visit Tasmania. And vice versa.

Jetstar today announced the first direct flights from Hobart (above) to Newcastle, with sale fares available from $59 one-way (good luck!). 

The news came as QantasLink relaunched two routes out of Hobart, with flights to Perth restarting last month and flights to Canberra set to take off in late October.

These three routes will boost Qantas Group capacity by more than 76,000 seats a year in and out of the Tasmanian capital, supporting tourism and providing more travel options for residents.

The Hobart to Newcastle route will initially run from December 2, 2025, until April 21, 2026. 

Jetstar's seasonal service will operate three times a week using Airbus A320 aircraft.

To celebrate the new route, Jetstar is offering sale fares from just $59^ one-way. The 24-hour sale will start at 11am AEDT today at jetstar.com.

Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully said the new route will provide a major tourism boost across Hobart and the Hunter.

“The Qantas Group already carries more tourists into Hobart and Newcastle than any other airline - and arrivals are set to soar yet again."

Tasmanian Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Jane Howlett said the new route is a landmark addition to Tasmania's aviation network.

"The Tasmanian Government is proud to work with Jetstar and Hobart Airport to deliver this new route and unlock opportunities for Tasmanians and visitors alike," she said.

“Tasmania is a world-class destination for Australians wanting to experience unique landscapes and fine food and produce."

Multi-million dollar sweet treat for Hobart

Lindt's Home of Chocolate in Zurich, Switzerland, is widely regarded as the world's greatest destination for chocolate lovers and is home to the world's largest chocolate fountain,

Valrhona Cité du Chocolat in Tain-l'Hermitage, France; Cadbury World in Birmingham, UK, and the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate in Brussels, Belgium, are also much-loved destinations of those with sweet tooths.

Now Hobart, in Tasmania, hopes to challenge those destinations with a $150 million project that aims to transform the Cadbury factory waterfront parklands into a new visitor experience that may open as early as 2027.

Developed by Simon Currant and Associates, the Chocolate Experience at Cadbury promises "a celebration of chocolate on a scale never before seen".

The project will celebrate a century of Cadbury in Tasmania while also showcasing the state’s producers, ingredients, and makers.

“This is a uniquely Tasmanian story that embraces 100 years of Cadbury, provenance, innovation and artisan chocolate production, with the entire State sharing in the benefits,” said developer Simon Currant. who has a lomg and impressive history in the travel industry.

Tasmanian architecture firm Cumulus Studio, together with world-renowned Art Processors - a David Walsh enterprise born from MONA - will shape the creative direction of the project.

“Built on curiosity, invention, and joy, this is an active sensorial experience that brings the wonder of chocolate to life, inspiring discovery and connection through generosity and hands-on fun for all ages,” said Tony Holzner of Art Processors.



The design takes cues from the adjacent Cadbury factory, reimagining its pipes, machines, and conveyor belts.

“The CEC is an architectural embodiment of chocolate itself - rich, layered, and unforgettable," said Peter Walker of Cumulus Studio..

"It is a place where magic is not just seen, but felt, tasted, and experienced in every detail.”

The attraction, which will still need investors, is forecast to welcome 550,000 visitors annually.

The project will be 95% privately funded, with government support (that's Tasmanian taxpayer money).

Toby Smith, President of Mondelēz International in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, said: “Given the significant community benefits this project delivers, we’re excited to be on-board as the brand partner, helping to create a lasting tourism and economic legacy for the state.”

In partnership with Navigators, operators of the MONA ferries, two new purpose-built ferries will transport more than 80% of visitors from Hobart to a new Claremont terminal in just 30 minutes.

See www.cadburyexperience.com.au

Image: Cumulus Studio and Art Processors

Peppina brings joy on a “quiet” night

Hobart can be very quiet over the winter months. Many locals prefer it that way. 

Early in the week, on Mondays and Tuesdays particularly, many restaurants and bars in the Tasmanian capital elect to close. 

Fortunately for hungry and thirsty folk, Peppina, the buzzy 190-seater Italo-Tasmanian eatery in The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart, is open for dinner seven nights at week. 

We popped in for dinner on Monday this week and found the joint was jumping. Star chef Massimo Mele, the culinary director, was conducting the orchestra with his usual panache as they crafted dishes inspired by his Nonna's cooking. 

There was a newly-elected local politician celebrating, while we apparently just missed one very unsavoury, but high-profile, fellow dining with his lawyer after yet another court appearance. 

There was a warm vibe, which you don't always find in hotel restaurants, and a very helpful multi-national waitstaff team. 

Our menu choices had to revolve around one of my favourite all-time dishes; polpette al forno, a dish of wood-fired meatballs made from Wagyu beef and pork, served in a tomato sugo with basil and mozzarella. This dish never fails to impress. 

Our other starters, both daily specials, were truffled Tasmania scallops in the half shell with roes intact; and fresh tuna, tomato and herb crostini. Both vibrantly flavoured and super-fresh tasting. 

We chose a half bottle each of Montevento Pinot Grigo and Villa Antinori Chianti Classico, which were decanted into carafes and added an Italian accent, but the comprehensive wine list also includes local stars like Marco Lubiana and Ricky Evans' Two Tonne. 

For mains we choose the fish of the day, spot-on blue eye trevally on a pumpkin puree, and a hearty pasta dish; cavatelli with a rich goat ragu. 

We were well fed and watered and too full for dessert. Although my wife did find room for a limoncello. Prices were fair for dishes of this quality.  

Peppina restaurant is right around the corner from both Parliament and Salamanca Place. On warmer nights you can dine al fresco. 

https://www.peppinarestaurant.com/       

* The writer paid for his own meals

Fancy a Sunday session on the Hobart waterfront?

Hobart continues to embrace winter with luxury waterfront hotel MACq 01 Hotel warming things up with its new Sunday sessions: Sundays @ The Story Bar.

On the edge of the River Derwent, The Deck offers a front-row seat for golden-hour gatherings, with glowing fire pots, live local music from 4-7pm, and sweeping views as the sun sinks behind kunanyi/Mount Wellington.

Locals and visitors can gather and sip on The Story Bar’s signature cocktails, inspired by the legendary characters featured behind MACq 01’s 114 hotel room doors and graze on a tailored Sunday menu of casual bites designed for late afternoon lounging.

There will be a rotating line-up of local Tasmanian acoustic musicians, including Joel Hopson and Tony Mak, providing entertainment for Sundays @ The Story Bar.

Entry is free for all - but they'll probably expect you to buy a drink.

See https://www.macq01.com.au/eat-and-drink/

Hobart gets a new destination for whisky lovers

It's all change on the Hobart waterfront with award-winning Callington Mill Distillery setting up shop in the Macq01 building. 

The new lunch, dinner, and late-night-drinks destination seats 190 across two indoor spaces and a harbourside deck.

Callington Mill's Macq01 venue will be Monday-Sunday, offering whisky experiences all week long and into the night!

The Oatlands-based distillery has taken over the space that was formerly the Frogmore Creek Lounge and as of June 26 will offer Tasmanian whiskies, personalised bottles, and dining experiences to the heart of Hobart.

Guests can expect a line-up of Callington Mill whiskies and the drinks list will also feature wines from Frogmore Creek, beers, and a diverse range of cocktails, thoughtfully inspired by Callington Mill’s award-winning whisky and gin range (Poltergeist Gin).

 “I met Frogmore Creek’s CEO James [Skabo] over a dinner where he mentioned that they were looking for someone to take over their decade-long lease," says Callington Mill founder John Ibrahim. 

"We have a similar vision and ambition to put Tasmania on the map for wine and whisky lovers alike, so our goals aligned and we got to chatting about a heartfelt handover of Frogmore's iconic lounge.”

Whisky-curious drinkers can book the ‘Serendipity Experience’ - named after the subterranean room at the Oatlands distillery - where they can l taste, learn, create, and depart with a personalised signature bottle.

Callington Mill’s new Macq01 venue will continue the distillery’s commitment to Tasmanian produce and community, with all ingredients sourced from local growers and makers. 

The move aligns with the brand’s broader focus on sustainability and eco-agriculture, which has underpinned operations at its Oatlands home.

The Macq01 venue is located at 18 Hunter Street, Tasmania. Bookings can be made at callingtonmilldistillery.com, or by calling 0482 509 019 for venue bookings.

Qantaslink offers new flight options

Good news for would-travellers based in Hobart and Newcastle. 

QantasLink is set to launch new routes from Perth to Newcastle and Hobart later this year, avoiding stopovers in Sydney or Melbourne.

With flights taking off in September, QantasLink will be the only airline offering a direct flight between Perth and Newcastle.

Operating three times a week, the new flights will provide over 45,000 seats each year between the two cities, supporting FIFO workers and mining industry operatives with a non-stop air service into Western Australia.

A direct Perth-Hobart service will also be reinstated by the airline for the first time since 2023 and operate three times a week most months of the year, adding an additional 32,000 seats annually.

Both routes will offer customers improved connectivity into Perth and the airline’s growing western hub, with one-stop connections to a range of Qantas international destinations including London, Paris and Rome (seasonal).

The flights will be operated by QantasLink’s Airbus A319 aircraft. The A319 aircraft, which currently operate intra Western Australia flights have 150 economy seats.

The new services are available for booking on qantas.com now with economy launch fares starting from $299 Perth-Newcastle one-way and $299 Perth-Hobart one-way (sale ends June 2).

"We’re really proud to continue our support for Western Australia’s resource and tourism sectors, with our newest QantasLink routes linking Perth to Hobart once more and Perth to Newcastle for the first time," said Rachel Yangoyan, CEO QantasLink

“These direct services will not only boost inbound visitors to WA but offer more opportunities for those working in the resource sectors across the country with improved options for their travel.”

A uniquely Tasmanian gourmet treat to celebrate winter

Are you heading for Hobart this winter?

Would you like to experience an authentic food and wine experience that is a collaboration between two esteemed Tasmanian family producers?

If you fancy enjoying fresh wild-caught sustainable bluefin tuna from the Mure family paired with outstanding cool-climate wines from the Pooley family then you might want to get your name on the list.

Owner Will Mure’s parents Jill and George established Mures Fish House in Battery Point in Hobart in 1973. When they struggled to get the best fish, George went fishing,

Over 50 years and three generations the Mure family continue their commitment to both catching and selling fresh, quality seafood and operate several outlets in their waterfront complex.

I was one of the very fortunate gourmet guinea pigs last week when Mures Upper Deck (in collaboration with Pooley Wines) launched its new pop-up dining experience, the Southern Bluefin Carving Ceremony, as part of Tasmania's Off Season festivities.

The giant whole fish was presented and expertly carved by Jock Mure, who also caught the fish, Guests first sampled raw fish off the bone before being treated to a four-course degustation menu prepared using various cuts from the freshly carved fish (above).

Tuna is known for its vibrant colours, texture, and rich umami flavour, and each course showcased the versatility and freshness of the various cuts.

All the dishes were paired with cool-climate Pooley Wines bottles selected to complement the courses and will be presented by third-generation family member and brand ambassador Matt Pooley, whose father John (below with Matt) was also in attendance for the first run.

Pooley Wines is this year celebrating its 40th year in the wine business and has two estate vineyards in the Coal River Valley.

Think pairings like tuna with nori seafood and soy paired with 2021 Pooley Matilda Sparkling; three cuts of sashimi with Pooley 2023 Butchers Hill Riesling; tuna tataki with sesame crust and Pooley's superb 2019 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay; tuna steak with Pooley 2013 Pinot Noir. Finished off with a hot-smoked tuna dip with a luscious 2024 Butchers Hill Cane Cut Riesling.

Matt Pooley tells some behind-the-scenes stories as part of a delightful seafood and viticulture feast.

The first public session will be on Tuesday, May 6, followed by three other feasts on the first Tuesday of each month.

The events are part of Tasmania's Off Season festivities and also run on  June 3, July 1 and August 5.

The price is a very reasonable $190 per person (I guessed at least $225 after the trial run and before doing my homework).

"This is the kind of Off Season offering that only two traditional Tasmanian family businesses can pull off," said Mures restaurant general manager Shaun Baker. "Every day the challenge on the water is different, but the aim of producing quality seafood is always the same."

For more details and bookings see https://www.mures.com.au/the-off-season

# Pooley Wines will hold 40th birthday celebrations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on May 13-14-15 as well as June public tastings with the Huon Hooke and the Real Review. Contact cellar door for details.

Images: Supplied, John Pooley, Winsor Dobbin 

# The writer was a host of Mures Upper Deck and Pooley Wines 

Dark Mofo promises a car crash - and lots more

From car crashes to artworks, performances to food and wine, Tasmania's favourite winter festival Dark Mofo returns from June 5-15 and 21.

Organisers today announced an ambitious program designed to entertain locals and bring tourists to the island state during its coldest month.

The mid-winter festival will showcase large-scale public artworks in the Dark Park art hub and across Nipaluna/Hobart, along with annual rites such as the sprawling Night Mass parties, the Winter Feast gourmet festival, the traditional Ogoh-Ogoh burning, and the Nude Solstice Swim.

Dark Mofo Films also make a comeback under new artistic director Chris Twite.

"Once again we will bathe the city in red, filling it with art and taking over disused and hidden spaces all across Nipaluna/Hobart," Twite says.

"Night Mass - the late-night labyrinth of revelry - will carve new paths through the city and a host of Australian-exclusive artists from around the world will storm our stages."

The festival will utilise deconsecrated churches, rooftops, basements, bars, bank vaults and the shores of River Derwent. Dark Mofo will also stretch its tentacles to a theatre in Launceston and the planetarium in Ulverstone.

"It feels incredible to bring so many boundary pushing artists to Tasmania in 2025 for the full-scale return of Dark Mofo," says Twite.

The festival features new artwork commissions from Paula Garcia and Carlos Martiel, the Australian premiere of a massive light installation from Nonotak and performances from the likes of The Horrors, Tierra Whack, Beth Gibbons and Crime and the City Solution.

In Crash Body (above), two cars will engage in an exchange of near misses, building to a visceral head-on collision between Brazilian artist Paula Garcia and a stunt driver. This event will unfold at the Regatta Grounds over two hours and festival-goers will encounter the aftermath at Dark Park.

SORA by Nonotak will create a dancing, hypnotic firmament inside a cavernous warehouse. Lights on kinetic armatures will spin and pulse at the whim of an invisible wind at times and raging like the apotheosis of an electrical storm at others.

In a brand new Mona exhibition, in the end, the beginning, Italian sculptor Arcangelo Sassolino plays with fire.

The Winter Feast will take over Princes Wharf and Salamanca Lawns throughout the festival. This year the Feast welcomes guest chef Niyati Rao from Mumbai restaurant Ekaa.

She will be teaming up with Chef Craig Will and fellow co-owners of Launceston’s Stillwater, Bianca and James Welsh.

This year’s Ogoh-Ogoh ritual solicits fears to feed a giant Maugean skate - an endangered species found only in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour and threatened by polluting fish farms.

Tickets are now on sale. Subscribe for updates at www.darkmofo.net.au.

# Accor Pacific has once again be named an Official Accommodation Partner for Dark Mofo.

Accor has four hotels in Hobart and five hotels in Launceston, including brands such as Mövenpick, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Mercure and ibis Styles.

Festival-goers can take advantage of the following rates during the event period, starting from $201 per night in Hobart and from $199 per night in Launceston.

To book visit all.accor.com/darkmofo

A week of science - and silliness - in Hobart

Hobart will once again embrace science and fun when the Beaker Street Festival turns Tasmania's capital into a meeting place for bold thinkers and adventurous spirits from August 12-19.

Beaker Streets is promoted as being "where science collides with art, music, and adventure, where conversations flow over cocktails, and where unexpected encounters spark new ways of seeing the world".

The festival - now in its eighth year - "has cemented its place as Australia’s most dynamic festival of science and culture," organisers say.

The schedule includes big ideas, deep discussions, and mind-expanding experiences - all set against the raw beauty of Tasmania’s winter landscape.



“Beaker Street Festival is all about making connections with interesting people, taking part in immersive experiences, and gaining new perspectives,” says festival founder and creative director Dr Margo Adler.

“If you have an idea in your mind of what a science festival is, it's not that.”

You can sign up for program announcements and early ticket access at www.beakerstreet.com.au.

The full festival program will be announced May 22. Stay tuned. 

From wine to whisky: all change on the Hobart waterfront

All change on the Hobart waterfront.

Callington Mill Distillery today announced it will take over the lease of the waterfront venue on the ground floor of the Macq01 hotel in Hobart.

The venue, previously operated by Frogmore Creek Wines, will serve as the distillery’s new city location from May.

It will "offer a space to showcase their world-class Tasmanian whisky and be a gateway for visitors to explore their home base in Oatlands".

Frogmore Creek, which designed and opened the Macq01 location in 2017, has enjoyed success using the venue to promote their premium Tasmanian wines and drive visitors to its cellar door and restaurant in Cambridge.

The revamped venue will see whisky and wine showcased together.

John Ibraham, owner of Callington Mill Distillery, said: “We’re excited to extend our brand’s reach to Hobart and offer our visitors a chance to experience Callington Mill Distillery before they make the journey to our Oatlands distillery.

Callington Mill Distillery built its distillery in the historic town of Oatlands, an hour north of Hobart but off the tourism track.

Frogmore Creek, under the leadership CEO James Skabo, is in the midst of a 60-hectare vineyard expansion, responding to the increasing market demand for premium cool-climate Tasmanian wines.

It will continue to operate its restaurant, cellar door, and function centre Cambridge.

“We are excited about the coming years and opportunities, including expanding our working relationship with John and the team at Callington Mill, as we both strive to build iconic Tasmanian brands," Skabo said.

"In the coming months, we look forward to enjoying a whisky on the waterfront and embracing this exciting new chapter in Hobart’s hospitality scene.”

Further details regarding the new offerings and experiences at the venue will be announced closer to the opening.

A rare chance to taste aged whiskies from Tasmania

Hobart's landmark The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, has partnered with Hellyers Road Distillery to launch what is billed as "Australia’s oldest whisky flight".

Launching next month, the exclusive tasting experience links two Tasmanian businesses committed to showcasing world-class yet local offerings.

Held in The Tasman’s heritage cellar door, and complementary to the existing wine tasting experience, guests can expect to experience a collection of aged expressions from Hellyers Road.

Flights will feature tastings of The Tasman Cask I, a single malt whisky aged in a 50-year-old port cask from Portugal, which will also be available in the hotel’s bars and rooms.

The tastings will feature a selection of Hellyers Road’s spirits, offering both entry level and premium flights, featuring a selection including Hellyers Road Double Cask; Hellyers Road The Journeyman, Hellyers Road Peated 7yr; Helleyrs Road American Oak Oloroso de Jerez Cask Finish 20yr; Hellyers Road Voyager Cask 19yr; Hellyers Road Single Cask 2157.05 21yr and Hellyers Road The Tasman Cask I 9yr.

Burnie-based Hellyers Road arrives at this partnership during a wave of global recognition, having recently secured multiple gold medals and category winner titles at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards.
Hellyers Road boasts it is Australia's oldest operating whisky distillery.

See https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hbalc-the-tasman-a-luxury-collection-hotel-hobart/overview/

Dark Mofo reveals provocative new artwork that highlights sadistic power

A provocative newly commissioned artwork is a key component of Dark Mofo, the winter festival that returns to Hobart this winter.

The organisers of Tasmania's mid-winter solstice celebration today revealed the first work in the 2025 festival.

The announcement comes after 6,000 pre-release tickets to festival favourite Night Mass sold out in less than four hours in November, and ahead of the full program release on April 4.

Dark Mofo’s new artistic firector Chris Twite said: ‘Taking the year off in 2024 was a difficult decision, but Dark Mofo is back with renewed energy and focus, ready to deliver an enormous program spanning two packed weeks this June.

‘We’re grateful for the support of the state government and the continued generosity of [MONA owner] David Walsh, which is allowing us to lay the foundation for another incredible decade of Dark Mofo.

‘It was encouraging to sell over 6,000 Night Mass tickets in less than four hours during our pre-release late last year, indicating that demand for the festival remains strong. We are hoping for a similar response when we release the full program on April 4.

‘Today we are excited to reveal the first piece of the festival's massive city wide contemporary art program with a powerful new work by Nathan Maynard".

Premiering at Dark Mofo in 2025 is We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep, a new commission by multidisciplinary Trawlwoolway artist Nathan Maynard.

Locked in a nondescript basement in Nipaluna/Hobart’s CBD, this ambitious work uses flesh to lay bare the legacy of cultural theft and erasure in a mass installation. think sheep heads preserved in glass jars. 

"Languishing in museums and their storerooms are the remains of ancestors of First Nations people from all around our globe," Maynard says.

"They have been stripped of identity and, without consent, treated like specimens for study and scientific inquiry.

"We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep speaks to the sadistic power white institutions flex when they deny First Nations people the humanity of putting our ancestor’s remains to rest in the physical and the spiritual."

Maynard’s installation is the first work to be revealed from the Dark Mofo 2025 program - featuring two weeks of "contemporary art, live music, ritual and revelry in the depths of winter".

Yo receive program updates and access to festival tickets see www.darkmofo.net.au.

Dark Mofo will run between June 5-15 and on June 21. 

We have Mercier: Meet MONA's new installation

 

The latest art blockbuster at Tasmania's ground-breaking MONA opens this morning.

Théo Mercier, French artist and stage director, presents an immense sand sculpture inhabiting MONA's  former library space.

Created in situ from sand and water, MIRRORSCAPE depicts a debris-strewn landscape evoking the aftermath of disaster. It will be on display for a whole year.

Mercier’s site-specific installation is a new work commissioned by MONA, and its presentation is his first time exhibiting in Australia.

MIRRORSCAPE draws inspiration from the detritus of the island and sites where nature and human production collide, as well as local rock formations that have been altered over time -transformed by wind, water runoff and waves.

The multi-layered sculpture "explores a tension between erasure and erosion, the scene corroding our sense of time and scale," Mercier says: ‘The earth shuffles and trembles. It is a collection of catastrophes and its surface bears witness to the natural and political changes - and cataclysms - that pass through it.

"In this work devastation finds itself petrified in the stone, as if we opened a mountain here in Tasmania and discovered the great fossil of a disaster.

"We don’t know whether this would have happened in the past or if it’s a foreshadowing of the near future. MIRRORSCAPE is a conflict suspended in time, quarantined inside a panoramic cell that recalls the scientific laboratory or a vivarium. It is something to be studied at a distance.’

MONA curator Sarah Wallace says: ‘Crafted entirely from Tasmanian sand, Théo's work is a reflection of the fragile and temporary nature of the world around us, and of life itself. I hope visitors will be drawn in by the intricate detail in this captivating installation, while considering the questions he raises about our ecological predicament.’

Théo Mercier is a sculptor and stage director, who lives and works in Paris.

See mona.net.au

The most wonderful time of the year in Hobart

This is the most wonderful time of the year to be visiting the Tasmanian capital of Hobart.

Not only is the Sydney to Hobart yacht race fleet zeroing in on Hobart, the sun is (hopefully) shining, and the locals are celebrating food and drinks at the annual waterfront festival The Taste of Summer.

Until January 4, the Taste celebrates Tasmanian wines, whiskies, coders and local produce.

Whether you choose to sit on the waterfront with a dozen freshly shucked oysters and a bottle of Tasmanian sparkling, or grab an ice-cold beer and some barbecued meat and watch the kids play and explore in the dedicated children's play area 'Little Hobart', there really is something for everyone.

 There are over 75 food and drink stalls, as well as roving entertainers, with the Hoodoo Gurus the headline act on New Year's Eve, when guests can enjoy prime viewing spots for the traditional firework displays.

I visited on the opening day was impressed by the increased amount of seating spaces and smaller crews. 

Naturally, I took the opportunity to taste from wines with Jeremy Dineen from Haddow and Dineen (above) and Luke Andree from Sonnen (below), as well as enjoying some seriously good seafood and some delightful fresh air.      

From signature seafood and farm-to-table delights to world-class wine and spirits and artisan cheese, every bite promises tells a story of Tasmania’s farms and pristine waters. And food styles range from Ethiopian to Taiwanese and Turkish. It's a top-notch day or night out.

 

Try Ricky Ponting's wine, perhaps with some Bass Strait scallops, or maybe a dram of local whisky.

There is also an eclectic line-up of performers and musicians on the Taste of Summer Stage. Get along, you'll enjoy yourself 

See https://www.tasteofsummer.com.au/ 

  

Tasmanian brands come together for a spirited experience

Love artisan spirits? Heading for Hobart? This summer, MACq 01 Hotel, Hobart’s "storytelling" hotel, is unveiling a new MACq 01 gin range created in partnership with local award-winning McHenry Distillery. 

The five new gins will take centre stage in the hotel’s new storytelling experience, Gin Tales, from December 9.

Gin Tales brings together MACq 01 Hotel’s dedication to immersive storytelling with premium crafted gins, offering a journey through Tasmania's heritage and characters. 

Working alongside distiller William McHenry, the hotel seeks to bring legendary figures to life through a specially curated range of gins. 

The spirits have been crafted to embody five core Tasmanian character traits that shape the design elements of the hotel and align to the 114 iconic Tasmanian characters that feature on the 114 guest rooms. 

Gin Tales joins the existing range of storytelling tours that guests and visitors to Hobart can join during their stay – hosted by the MACq 01 storytelling team. 

Guests can sip their way through Tasmanian history, guided by a storyteller, matching the bold, quirky and curious stories with the flavours of each distinctive gin. 

Think flavours like Hearty & Resilient, and Curious & Creative. 

Other gins include Grounded Yet Exceptional, Fighting Believers and Colourful & Quirky.

William McHenry describes the collaboration as a way to merge two iconic Tasmanian brands.

“With the new MACq 01 range, we’ve crafting five gins as layered as the stories of Tasmania’s people. It was a great experience bringing the influence of key MACq 01 characters together with the freshest Tasmanian ingredients, often resulting in unexpected combinations. 

"We went in with no limitations - even trialling squid ink in one of the iterations. Each gin reflects a part of Tasmania’s character and we’re thrilled with what we’ve produced with MACq 01.”

McHenry Distillery is located on the Tasman Peninsula. 

At the heart of everything the family-owned business does is clean, soft spring water from the springs on the property. 

The Gin Tales experience highlights include a one-hour guided tasting by a MACq 01 storyteller at MACq 01’s The Story Bar featuring a tasting of five 15ml pours from the MACq 01 collection

Tasting are held at 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and cost $35 per person. The experience is open to both guests and public and bookings are available online or through the MACq 01 Hotel team at hello@macq01.com.au

See macq01.com.au.