Tasmania is renowned for its beautiful scenery, bushwalking, camping, and a range of adventure activities. So getting into the wilderness while you are here is a must. Yet Tasmania also has a thriving art, theatre and event calendar, and a few highlights are listed here.
For up to date listings visit the Discover Tasmania website.
Music
Tasmania has a small but very active live music scene and there are regular gigs in many genres and all-ages events for those who are under 18.
The Falls Festival is a two day concert held every New Years Eve at Marion Bay, about half an hour’s car trip from Hobart. It attracts major international and national acts.
Markets
Weekly markets are a constant fixture all over Tasmania, offering art, craft, food, entertainment and second hand goods. The Salamanca Market in Hobart is Tasmania’s biggest and is held every Saturday morning.
Cinema
Devonport, Launceston and Hobart all have movie cinemas showing many English-language films.
Museums and Art Galleries
Launceston’s Queen Victoria Museum and Gallery has two facilities offering a range of fascinating exhibitions and events, including a planetarium and a hands-on science exhibition.
In Hobart, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery also features a rich collection of exhibits covering Tasmania’s colonial history, Aboriginal culture, Antarctic exploration and much more.
Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art, known as MONA, is a world class collection of often controversial works of art, housed in an incredible building.
Festivals
Ten Days on The Island is a biannual artistic festival running from March to April, showcasing international and local artists.
Each July, the Festival of Voices brings the world of singing to Hobart, with the finest international and national choral teachers performing and leading workshops with choirs and singers from across Australia.
The annual MONA FOMA festival runs in January, gathering an equally eclectic group of performers and events, many of which run free of charge.
Tasmania’s biggest annual event is the Taste Festival, a week long celebration of the island’s food and wine, held between Christmas and New Years Eve on the Hobart waterfront. It is followed in March by the Taste of the Huon in the Huon Valley south of Hobart.
Historic
Relics of Tasmania’s colonial and convict past can be found all over the state, but the best example is at Port Arthur convict penitentiary on the Tasman Peninsula in the south east of Tasmania, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Rock Climbing
You can do this anywhere there is some suitable rock, but Launceston’s Cataract Gorge is just a fifteen minute walk from the city. This popular family picnic area is set within an ancient extinct volcano and offers good swimming, beautiful scenery and great rock climbing for beginners, followed by ice cream and coffee.
Surfing
With over 5,000 kilometres of stunning coastline, including some of the world’s most beautiful and least crowded beaches, Tasmania has some of the best surfing in Australia.
There are always breaks along the north and east coasts, and there are plenty of waves in the south just a short drive from Hobart. But the most adventurous head to the wild west coast or the beaches of the Southern Ocean, for waves of truly mythic proportions. Just bring that wetsuit!
Football
Australians love football and regularly play all forms of the game. Most Tasmanians follow Australian Rules Football, a fast and sometimes brutal contact sport. Rugby League and Rugby Union are less popular, but this is different in other parts of the country. Soccer is arguably the fastest growing sport in Australia and there are plenty of chances to play with local clubs.
Cricket
There is a long history of cricket in Tasmania but if you are not familiar with the game it can seem strange. It is a complex, strategic game that takes anything from a few hours to five days to complete. In summer, you will see children playing cricket in quiet streets.
Sailing
Sailing is extremely popular and offers spectacular views of Tasmania’s idyllic harbors and coastline. Each year between Boxing Day and the New Year, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race attracts the best – and richest – competitors to one of the most difficult boat races in the world.
Bushwalking
Short, easy bushwalks through accessible wilderness are found within a half hour’s drive of any city. There are plenty of beautiful locations for camping and longer tracks if you want to spend a few days in the wild. Tasmania is famous for its scenery and if you are properly prepared, bushwalking and camping is quite safe. To find the best spots, just ask a local!
Motor Racing
Australians love car racing! There are regular V8 races held at Symmons Plains, along with smaller speedway events throughout the island. They’re loud and lots of fun. Tasmania is also home to one of the most unique races in the world – Targa Tasmania, an annual 5 day rally event.