Winter in Hobart is all about wandering down cobbled streets in your winter woollies and exploring the many great eateries and galleries in a city that has deep cultural roots.
With temperatures usually sitting often sitting between zero and eleven degrees in Australia’s southernmost capital (even during the day!) it’s best to keep moving and embracing the chilly climes.
Check out our list of some top winter activities in Hobart that’ll have you falling in love with this cool and colourful city where visitors are welcomed with open arms.
Embrace the winter weather at Dark Mofo Festival
Running for two weeks in June, Dark Mofo Festival is a midwinter celebration of ancient pagan rituals through music, light, art, food, and film. This dark and bold festival draws almost half a million attendants every year with a program of free and ticketed events.
The ever-popular Nude Solstice Swim is back this year, with crowds gathering on the longest night of the year (22 June) to rush into the River Derwent as the sun comes up. While tickets are sold out, you are welcome to head down to Long Beach to watch the incredible crowd of swimmers brave the freezing waters.
The Winter Feast is another highly-anticipated attraction involving more than 75 stall holders, live music and wandering entertainment almost every day of the festival. This year, the feast will feature Floriano Pellegrino, who runs Michelin-starred restaurant Bros’ in Italy with his partner Isabella Potì. Floriano has been paired with Roberto Mele of MAMA Hobart Bakery for an exciting collaboration you won’t want to miss.
Throughout the festival, attendants are invited to write their fears onto paper and offer them over to the totemic Pedra Branca skink totem, which was crafted by Balinese artists and inspired by a Balinese Hindu purification ritual. Then, on Sunday 21 June, a procession will carry the sculpture – this year’s ogoh-ogoh – to the Regatta Grounds, where it will be burned to release your fears in a ceremony of fire.
For music lovers, make sure to attend live performances from Baker Boy, Folk Bitch Trio and Chat Pile.
Top drops at Tasmanian Whisky Week
Warm your body and soul from 1-9 August with Tasmanian Whisky Week. This nine day celebration celebrates the island’s best distillers, with venues across Hobart opening their doors for tastings, workshops and talks. While the 2026 program is still being finalised, attendants can expect the return of many popular events from last year’s festival.
The Tasmanian Spirit Showcase is the accumulation of the entire week of events, welcoming more than 40 distilleries from all over the state to share their favourite drops and exclusive Whisky Week releases. As you wander around the venue, you will meet makers of whisky, gin, vodka, rum and more, with more than 150 spirits to try. There is also a cocktail bar, live music and a food plaza to enjoy. This is the perfect place to ask all your burning questions, and hear stories about the world of distilling from the people who know it best.
Other highlights from the 2025 festival include the Tasmania vs Scotland taste test, where attendants could sample top drops from both locations to decide once and for all which area produces the best whisky, as well as the food and whisky cruise along the River Derwent.
See the stars when the Aurora Australis shines
The Aurora Australia, or ‘Southern Lights’, are a shimmering wave of green and red lights that appear in the night sky around the south pole. This phenomenon occurs when charged particles burst from the sun to create a solar wind.
This wind is drawn towards the North and South poles, spreading particles that interact with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere to create floating displays of light. Amazingly, the planet is currently in a ‘solar maximum’, which is a peak period in the 11-year solar cycle that makes aurora sightings more intense and frequent.
The best time to spot this breathtaking natural display in Tasmania is Winter, with long nights providing more time for the lights to dance across the sky.
Favourite aurora-watching spots include Carlton Beach, 40km east of Hobart, and the summit of Kunanyi/Mount Wellington. However, if you can’t escape the city, the lights can often be seen at Goat Bluff on South Arm Peninsula, which is only a 30-minute drive from the CBD.
Step back in time at Battery Point
Battery Point was Hobart’s first suburb, named in 1818 after the defence station guarding Derwent Bay. Today, it is one of the best examples of colonial-era architecture in Australia and boasts a rich history thanks to its draw for merchants, jailers, and sailors since colonisation.
Your first stop on any visit to Battery Point should be Jackman and McRoss bakery, where you can enjoy a fresh-baked bread, tarts and slices straight from the oven. However, the bakery is most famous for its delicious scallop pie, which includes a salty scallop and wakame curry filling. There’s nothing better on a chilly day than biting into one of these guys.
For a slice of history, head to Narryna House and Garden. Built in 1835 by Captain Andrew Haig, this sandstone mansion has served as a family home, boarding house, hospital, and now a museum containing artefacts that tell the story of early colonial life. From Tuesday to Saturday, you are invited to take a self-guided tour of the property. Or, join a one-hour guided experience on Tuesdays and Fridays, where you will learn about the lives of convict women who served in the house. Make sure to also explore the heritage garden, which comes to life with native flowers.
A great way to see this historic suburb is on a one hour horse and carriage ride with Heritage Horse Drawn Carriages. It’s easy to imagine yourself living in 19th century Hobart when relaxing in the back of this beautifully restored carriage and being driven by a host in authentic livery. You will gallop past all the major attractions, stone mansions and workers cottages while stopping for photos. Plus, on cold days, you can even enjoy a hot chocolate or coffee delivered straight to the carriage.
Reach new heights on Kunanyu/Mount Wellington
As well as being a great place to see the Aurora Australis, kunanyi/Mount Wellington is a top spot for hiking, riding mountain bikes, and playing in the winter snow. It sits an impressive 1271 metres above the city, with panoramic views of Hobart from its summit. To visit, you will need to drive 30 minutes from the city centre and make your way through the Wellington Park Reserve.
On your way to the top, check out The Organ Pipes walk, which winds beneath the mountain’s dolerite cliffs formed during the Jurassic period. In winter, the mountain is smothered in snow, with locals often making the journey to build snowmen and throw snowballs at friends.
If you work up an appetite, Lost Freight is a cafe halfway up the mountain which has been built inside an old shipping container. Kids will love warming up with a hot chocolate, and you will also discover a range of pies, toasties and sweet treats to fuel your winter adventures.
Meet the makers at Salamanca Markets
Every Saturday from 8:30am-3pm, Salamanca Markets welcomes locals and tourists for hours of shopping fun. With more than 300 stallholders selling fresh produce, jewellery, homewares and clothes, you can lose a day discovering gorgeous products from small Tasmanian businesses.
A program of local buskers keeps the good vibes going each week, while those with furry friends can make use of the RSPCA-run puppy parking where staff will entertain your pooch while you explore.
Along with clothing, arts, crafts and gifts, you will find a range of food and drink vendors serving up mouthwateringly good meals. Enjoy boutique seafood sausages with freshly baked focaccia and lettuce from Silver Hill Fisch, or bite into a warm, cheesy truffle toastie at Tasmanian Truffles. Another standout is the homemade empanadas from Cantine Latina, perfect for a warm treat on a winter day.
Relax and rejuvenate at top city spas
There’s nothing better than a relaxing spa or massage on a freezing winter day. Savoy Day Spa is the only bathhouse and wellness facility in Tasmania where you can relax and unwind in the facilities without making a booking. Simply walk in, pay the entrance fee, and access the magnesium pool, steam room, sauna and spas.
If you’re looking for a therapeutic massage, facial or body treatment, however, you will need to book. The skilled staff offer everything from detoxifying body wraps to body scrubs, back treatments and waxing services using only the best local ingredients.
Another popular spot is The Sanctuary, an organic day spa providing a calming retreat in the middle of the bustling city. Whether you’re after a full body massage, facial or self care package, the team provide every service with non toxic, cruelty free and environmentally friendly products that leave your skin feeling better than ever. The Sanctuary Escape package combines a 60 minute full body massage and Sodashi Pure Radiance Facial for a restorative experience, while the Reset Ritual features a back scrub, full body stone massage, Sodashi facial, hand and arm massage and a soothing scalp massage.
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Rex flies to Tasmania. Head to the Rex website or check out the route map below for more details.
