The Off Season, how to winter well in Tasmania

Any time of the year is a fine time to visit Tasmania, but we think winter is extra special. Discover The Off Season - off the charts, off with the ordinary, off the well-trodden tracks, off into the wild.

Tasmania’s pristine wilderness areas, magnificent scenery and locally produced culinary delights draw visitors from all over Australia to experience the highlights of this small but vibrant island state. Tasmania packs a punch when it comes to national parks just waiting to be explored, wine and cheese tastings to be savoured and arts and culture to be discovered, the winter season is a perfect way to embrace your inner Tasmanian and winter like a local.

Here are our top tips on how you can tour Tasmania like a local in the Off Season.

1.      Embrace the winter chill with a feast

Barilla Bay Oyster Farm, Cambridge - Image Credit Barilla Bay Oyster Farm

Throw on some warm layers, rug up against the winter weather and tuck in to a selection of delicious local produce. A visit to one of Tasmania’s award-winning cheese producers for a tasting is sure to stoke the fires for a day of exploration and discovery, while a perfectly brewed cup of tea in one of historic Richmond’s charming tea shops will warm the cockles. A sampling of freshly-shucked oysters from Barilla Bay Oyster Farm will give you a taste of some of the flavours this region is most famous for, and paired with a glass of Pinot Noir or Riesling from Tasmania’s oldest winery, Craigie Knowe Vineyard, you’ll be enjoying the best culinary delights on offer.

Eat freshly-shucked oysters on the Tassie Winter Warmer Tour

2.      Stay in a cosy, historic sandstone mansion

Lenna of Hobart - Image Credit Lenna of Hobart

Nestled in a converted 1874-built sandstone mansion right on the doorstep of Hobart’s vibrant waterfront, enjoy views towards the snow-capped peak of kunanyi/Mount Wellington and warm up with a locally distilled whisky by a roaring fire after a day discovering more of Hobart’s top highlights. Rug up in your finest winter attire to wander historic Battery Point, and descend Kelly’s Steps to reach the art galleries, cafes and enticing market stalls of Salamanca Market.

Stay at Lenna of Hobart and visit the historic Battery Point on the Tassie Winter Warmer Tour

3.      Celebrate Tasmania’s Off Season with plenty of festival cheer

Dark Mofo Festival - Image Credit Jarrad Sing

Locals will tell you they are all for embracing, not enduring, the winter season. With plenty of mid-winter festivals to get the heart racing, there is sure to be one that will surprise and delight even the most discerning visitors to Tasmania. From celebrations of food, wine and whisky to arts, culture and even darker spirits, Tasmanians are all for throwing off icy shackles and diving into the warm embrace of festivities. Join the gathering at Tasmanian Whisky Week, get to the core of the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival with a shindig which celebrates the region’s apple-picking history, and mark the winter solstice with the truly unique and sometimes subversive Dark Mofo. Those brave or mad enough can even take part in a Nude Solstice Swim!

Visit Australia's number one winter festival on our Dark Mofo Long Weekend 

4.      Tasmania’s snowy peaks and starry skies

Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park - Image Credit Pierre Destribats

The magic and silence of a snow-dusted landscape; the vast span of a celestial blanket which envelopes the night sky – Tasmania’s wild remoteness with leave you breathless in her beauty. Enter a magical, mossy forest in Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park as you make your way along the Enchanted Walk, keeping watch for wombats and pademelons searching for food along the snowy forest edge. Marvel at the mystical depths of the Gordon River with waters stained a magnificent amber by tannins from button grass which lines banks, or brace yourself for a winter thrill with a ride on the longest single-span chairlift in the world across Cataract Gorge. Tasmania’s natural beauty offers a dreamlike backdrop for your winter adventure. Tasmania’s location, off to the edge of the world, means you may even witness the spectacular Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis, paint the night sky with a cacophony of colour.

Discover Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park on Tasmanian Wonders Tour

The Off Season, how to winter well in Tasmania

Dress for the weather

Make sure that you are prepared for the winter chill with plenty of warm layers to keep you toasty whilst exploring, and don’t forget your Tassie tuxedo (or puffer jacket!). Gloves and a beanie will keep your extremities in tip top condition, ready to be warmed around a glass of Tasmanian red or a local whisky.

Plan ahead

As nature slows down into winter, so does Tasmania. Opening hours for certain attractions and venues may change, so it’s best to book ahead when planning your adventure. Winter roads can be beautiful and challenging to traverse for those not used to the conditions, which is why an escorted tour can be a safe option for those not wanting to self-drive.

Be COVID Safe

Inspiring Journeys and AAT Kings have enhanced hygiene protocols for your health and wellbeing with stringent on the road protocols, with Travel Directors trained in physical distancing procedures to ensure high standards are maintained.  

How to book your tour of Tasmania

Take off to the edge of the world with Inspiring Journeys on an epic small group journey of Tasmania. Find out more about the Off Season here or call 1300 669 175 to speak with a Tasmania holiday specialist today.

Hero Dark Mofo Festival - Image Credit Jarrad Sing