`

PLAN YOUR TRIP

CURIOUS MINDS. WILD PLACES. YOUR TASMANIAN WINTER STARTS HERE. 

Each August, Beaker Street Festival transforms Nipaluna/Hobart into a city-wide celebration of science, art, food, music, and exploration.

Think late-night conversations in historic pubs, Antarctic experiences on the waterfront, immersive performances, wilderness adventures, and unexpected encounters with scientists everywhere you turn.

About the Festival

View Program

CURATE YOUR ITINERARY

Beaker Street unfolds across two distinct weeks, each with its own atmosphere and focus, surrounded by regional field trips, workshops, dining experiences, and outdoor adventures across Tasmania.

The first week centres around Hobartica — our Antarctic-focused waterfront precinct — with events exploring Antarctica, the Southern Ocean, polar science, climate, cold-water culture, and Hobart’s role as a global Antarctic gateway.

The second week shifts into the Festival Epicentre in central Hobart, where the program expands into cutting-edge science, technology, health, environment, creativity, culture, and big cross-disciplinary ideas.

Winter is one of the best times to experience Lutruwita/Tasmania.

Crisp air. Aurora sightings. Wild coastlines without the crowds.

Beaker Street gives you the perfect excuse to turn a Festival weekend into a full Tasmanian adventure.

Across both weeks, you’ll also find:

  • Regional field trips around the island
  • Nature and wildlife experiences
  • Workshops and masterclasses
  • Food and drink events
  • Dark-sky experiences
  • Nightlife and late-night programming

Come for a long weekend of Antarctic immersion on the waterfront, a week of late-night ideas and city experiences, or build an entire Tasmanian winter road trip around the Festival.

SUGGESTED ITINERARIES

Weekend One Itinerary

Day 1 — Thursday 6 August Arrive. Dive in.
Stay Check in to Hadley's Orient HotelDrop your bags at Hobart's most storied address, welcoming guests since 1834. Use your exclusive attendee discount code when booking – details below.
 Book now
Explore The waterfront & Battery PointGet your bearings with a walk along Hobart's historic waterfront. Head up through Battery Point — Tasmania's oldest suburb — and stop for coffee or a glass of Tassie pinot before the evening begins.
Science Statement of CountryTheresa will open this year’s Festival at Hobartica, our Antarctic precinct, reflecting on the deep connections between Lutruwita and Antarctica, and the growing pressures human activity places on one of the last relatively untouched places on Earth.
 Free Event
Science Krill PartyHead down to Hobart's waterfront, where we'll be plunging into World Krill Day early and kicking off the Festival with a shrimply irresistible party. We're talking a kriller live band, zooplankton-inspired cocktails that'll have you swarming the bar, actual krill scientists, and DIY costume stations to help you unleash your inner crustacean.
 Free Event
Day 2 — Friday 7 August Go wide.
Explore Rivulet Track to Cascade BreweryFollow the Hobart Rivulet Track up through the valley to the Cascade Brewery — Australia's oldest continually operating brewery — for a long lunch. A gentle, leafy walk with the brewery's heritage sandstone as your reward at the end.
Science HobarticaHead down to Hobart's waterfront to find the last outpost before you hit "The Ice". Hobartica returns as an all-new precinct of polar revelry and Antarctic encounters — step inside the geodesic domes for installations and conversations with scientists and Antarcticans living and working at the bottom of the world.
 Free Event
Science The Night Market at HobarticaStay on as Hobartica turns to night. Amble through a cosy Antarctic night market where you can pick up cold-climate supplies, eat and drink beside crackling fires and live music, and keep the polar conversations going under the stars.
 Free Event
Day 3 — Saturday 8 August Go wide.
Explore Salamanca MarketDon't sleep in. Every Saturday morning, Hobart's famous Salamanca Market transforms the historic sandstone waterfront into one of Australia's best weekly markets.
Science Taste of Country: Palawa Fine Dining & Cultural TourFrom 11.30am at Piyura Kitina/Risdon Cove, Kitana Mansell of Palawa Kipli leads a guided walk through one of Tasmania's most significant cultural landscapes, followed by a six-course Palawa dining experience featuring oysters, abalone, wallaby, mutton bird, and bush tucker dessert. This one stays with you.
 Buy tickets
Discover Science you can wander throughBetween events, Beaker Street spills onto walls, plinths, and forest floors. The CoLab Exhibition and Science Photography Prize Finalist Exhibition are both showing at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
  CoLab Exhibition Photography Prize
Explore Dinner in North HobartThe Elizabeth Street strip is one of Australia's great dining precincts. Featuring excellent wine lists and menus that take Tasmanian produce seriously. We love Bar Wa Izakaya, Room For a Pony, and Kalbi. Book ahead.

Still thirsty? Drop in to the Lark Cellar Door for a whisky flight and chat with the expert team about the science of distilling.
Science Stowaway: A Nerdy NightclubLate night. Loud music. Science. Stowaway turns the Festival's most unexpected corner into its most memorable — a full nightclub experience built around curious minds and a dance floor. This is what happens when Beaker Street stays up past midnight. Don't miss it.
 Buy tickets
Day 4 — Sunday 9 August A slow goodbye.
Explore Farm Gate MarketVisit the Farm Gate Market to meet some of Tasmania's best producers and growers, taste award-winning cheeses and small-batch wines, and enjoy a coffee, artisanal pastry, and a range of delicious meals prepared while you wait.
Science Connecting to CountryTake a walk through the beautiful Waterworks nature reserve in the foothills of Kunanyi with Pakana activist and cultural practitioner Cody Gangell-Smith, alongside long-time biophiliac and wild food forager Westerly Isbaih. Learn about place-based traditional ecological knowledge held by Aboriginal peoples, and how modern science now appears to be echoing what First Nations folk practicing their culture have always known.
 Buy tickets
Science Astronomical MusicMusic and astronomy meet in this luminous recital tracing humanity's long fascination with the night sky. Through song and storytelling, journey from early celestial theories and Renaissance stargazers to the great astronomers and star-struck Romantics who found inspiration in the cosmos.
 Buy tickets

Weekend Two Itinerary

Day 1 — Thursday 13 August Arrive. Settle in.
Stay Check in to Hadley's Orient HotelDrop your bags at Hobart's most storied address. Hadley's has been welcoming guests since 1834. Use your exclusive attendee discount code when booking – details below
 Book now
Explore kunanyi / Mount WellingtonThe mountain watches over Hobart, and in August it's often snow-capped. Drive to the summit before the clouds roll in. The view is the kind that reminds you how small and fortunate you are simultaneously.
Science Dark Sky DinnerTwenty minutes from Hobart, overlooking the Coal River Valley, Frogmore Creek winery becomes the setting for one of the Festival's most extraordinary nights — sparkling wine, live music, and telescopes on the deck. Hear from Nobel Laureate Brian Schmidt, Wiradjuri astrophysicist Dr Kirsten Banks, and Palawa scholar Theresa Sainty.
 Buy tickets
Day 2 — Friday 14 August Go Deep.
Explore Bruny Island Day TripSouth of Hobart, accessible by ferry, Bruny Island delivers something extraordinary: oysters pulled from cold clean water, tall timber, wild beaches, and the kind of silence that feels like a physical thing. A perfect Beaker Street between-events excursion.
Discover Science you can wander throughBetween events, Beaker Street spills onto walls, plinths, and forest floors. The Enchanted Slime Mould Forest, CoLab Exhibition, and Science Photography Prize Finalist Exhibition are all free to explore — and in the Photography Prize, your vote decides the People's Choice winner.
Science Roving Scientist BarWe're taking over Australia's oldest pub and putting a scientist at every table. No lectures, no lanyards, no awkward silences. Just genuinely fascinating people doing genuinely fascinating work, and a bar tab that's entirely your own responsibility.
 Free Event
Day 3 — Saturday 15 August Venture Out.
Explore Salamanca MarketEvery Saturday morning, Hobart's famous Salamanca Market transforms the city's historic sandstone waterfront into one of Australia's best weekly markets — local produce, Tasmanian crafts, street food, and the particular energy of a city that genuinely loves its Saturday ritual. If your trip lands on a weekend, don't sleep in.
Discover Mushroom Workshop at Tunnel HillExplore the fascinating transformation of an abandoned Tasmanian railway tunnel, now a thriving hub for growing gourmet mushrooms on a commercial scale. Tunnel Hill Mushrooms founder Dean Smith and Tim Murch from West Tamar Fungi will teach you about the production process which starts in a lab and finishes in the decommissioned railway tunnel.
 Buy tickets
Science Don't just come for the evenings – come for the ideasBeaker Street's headline programme is where the Festival earns its reputation. This year's lineup spans AI and the attention economy, the psychedelics renaissance, the science of sex, and a game show hosted by Australia's science glitterati that is exactly as chaotic as it sounds. Plus, come early or stay late for the Market Place Street Party.
 Buy tickets
Day 4 — Sunday 16 August A Slow Goodbye.
Explore MONA on the way outThe Museum of Old and New Art is unlike any museum on the planet — a subterranean labyrinth of art, provocation, and seriously good coffee. Worth arriving early; worth staying longer than you planned.
Science The Second Act: A WeddingThe only way to end your weekend away: a real wedding. Hear from neuroscientist Dr Matt Kirkcaldie on the science of second chances, then watch ABC Hobart's Ryk Goddard and Mylinda Purtell actually tie the knot — cake, florunteering, and dancing included. Wear red or pink.
 Buy tickets

SEE MORE OF TASMANIA

Beaker Street is more than a city festival. It’s also your gateway to some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth.

Whether you’re a local planning a night out or a traveller experiencing Lutruwita/Tasmania for the first time, Beaker Street is your excuse to dive deeper into this wild and curious island.

Tasmania is home to ancient forests, rugged mountains, rare wildlife, dramatic coastlines, and some of the darkest skies in the world. Many Festival experiences are designed to get you out into the landscape alongside the scientists, storytellers, and guides who know it best.

From native birds to giant trees, sauna healing to dark sky astronomy, these small-group regional adventures connect science with place in ways you simply can’t experience anywhere else.

Many regional events are within a short drive of Hobart or Launceston, making them easy additions to a longer Tasmanian itinerary.

HOBART HIGHLIGHTS

Explore these events, located in or within 20 minutes of Hobart:

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Venture further afield with these events around the state:

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT

If you’re travelling from interstate, we recommend staying at least 4–7 days to experience both the Festival and the island beyond it.

Popular winter experiences include:

  • Wildlife encounters and nature walks
  • Road trips through national parks, coastal towns, and mountain regions
  • Long lunches and fireside dining
  • Whisky bars, wine regions, and tiny pubs filled with locals
  • Chasing the aurora australis, or “Southern lights”
  • Stargazing in dark sky regions
  • Outdoor saunas and cold plunges
  • Visiting MONA and Hobart’s waterfront bars and restaurants

There are hundreds of Off Season offers on the Discover Tasmania website — pick and choose to curate your perfect itinerary.

GETTING HERE

Direct flights to Hobart operate from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, and the Gold Coast.

Most Festival venues are located within:

  • 20 minutes of Hobart Airport
  • Walking distance of central accommodation
  • Easy access to public transport and taxis

If you’re planning to explore regional Tasmania before or after the Festival, consider flying into Hobart and out of Launceston — or vice versa.

WHERE TO STAY

Stay close to the action — and surround yourself with scientists, speakers, artists, and fellow curious minds — by booking with our official accommodation partner, Hadley’s Orient Hotel.

Located just a short stroll from the Festival hub, Hadley’s is the perfect base for late nights, early talks, and spontaneous encounters over cocktails.

Festival guests can access:

  • 10% off accommodation using code BEAKER26 either during the festival period, or anytime during the year
  • Beaker Street science cocktails in the Orient Bar
  • Easy access to the Festival precinct

Book directly via Hadley’s Orient Hotel or contact the reservations team on (03) 6237 2999 or [email protected].

PLAN YOUR TASMANIAN ADVENTURE

Looking for more inspiration while you’re here? Explore winter travel ideas, regional itineraries, food experiences, wilderness adventures, and Off Season offers via Discover Tasmania.

Frequently asked questions

Contact Us

When is Beaker Street Festival?

Beaker Street Festival takes place between 6 and 17 August 2026 in Nipaluna/Hobart, Tasmania, during Tasmania’s winter Off Season. The first weekend, 6 to 9 August, is focused on Antarctic content. The second weekend, 14 to 16 August, explores cross-disciplinary and cutting edge Australian science.

Where is Beaker Street Festival held?

The Festival takes place across Nipaluna/Hobart’s waterfront and CBD as well as in stunning locations throughout Lutruwita/Tasmania, with major venues and locations including:

  • Hobart City Hall
  • Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
  • Theatre Royal
  • Hope and Anchor Tavern
  • Waterside Pavilion
  • Mawson Place
  • Salamanca precinct venues
  • Bars, galleries, and late-night venues across the city
  • Plus locations around the state including Burnie, Penguin, Launceston, Ross, Triabunna, Eaglehawk Neck, the Styx Valley, Richmond, and Clarence.

Most venues in Hobart are within easy walking distance of one another.

How many days should I spend in Tasmania for Beaker Street Festival?

We recommend staying 4–7 days to experience both the Festival and Tasmania beyond Hobart. Many visitors combine Festival events with regional travel, food experiences, nature trips, or a road trip around the state.

What are the best Tasmanian winter experiences during Beaker Street Festival?

Popular winter experiences in Tasmania include:

  • Visiting MONA
  • Aurora Australis viewing
  • Stargazing in dark sky regions
  • Outdoor saunas and cold plunges
  • Wildlife encounters and national park walks
  • Whisky distilleries and cool-climate wineries
  • Long lunches and fireside dining
  • Road trips into Tasmania’s stunning regions

You can also explore Tasmania’s Off Season offers via Discover Tasmania.

Does Beaker Street Festival include regional Tasmania events?

Yes. Beaker Street includes regional field trips, food experiences, astronomy events, nature adventures, and science experiences across Tasmania.

Festival regions may include:

  • Derwent Valley
  • Coal Valley
  • Tasman Peninsula
  • East Coast Tasmania
  • Launceston and the Midlands
  • North West Tasmania

Many regional events are suitable as day trips from Hobart or Launceston.

How do I get to Hobart for Beaker Street Festival?

Direct flights to Hobart operate from:

  • Melbourne
  • Sydney
  • Brisbane
  • Adelaide
  • Perth
  • Canberra
  • Gold Coast

Hobart Airport is approximately 20 minutes from the Festival precinct.

Should I fly into Hobart or Launceston?

If you are primarily attending Beaker Street Festival, Hobart is the easiest arrival point.

If you are planning a longer Tasmania road trip, many visitors fly into Hobart and out of Launceston, or vice versa.

Where should I stay during Beaker Street Festival?

We recommend staying in Hobart’s CBD or waterfront precinct so you can easily walk between Festival venues, restaurants, and bars.

Hadley’s Orient Hotel is the Festival’s official accommodation partner and is located within walking distance of major venues.

Festival guests can access:

  • 10% off accommodation using code BEAKER26
  • Festival-themed cocktails
  • Pre-show dining
  • Easy access to the Festival precinct

Book directly via Hadley’s Orient Hotel.

Is August a good time to visit Tasmania?

Yes. August is part of Tasmania’s Off Season, when the island embraces winter through festivals, food experiences, wellness offerings, nature travel, dark sky experiences, and seasonal events.

Winter also means:

  • Fewer crowds
  • Easier restaurant bookings
  • Greater accommodation availability
  • Snow on the mountains
  • Better opportunities for stargazing and aurora viewing

What should I pack for Tasmania in winter?

Tasmanian winter weather can change quickly. We recommend packing:

  • Warm layers
  • A waterproof jacket
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • A beanie, scarf, and gloves
  • Clothes suitable for indoor heated venues and outdoor events

If attending regional field trips or nature experiences, check individual event information for specific gear requirements.

Is Beaker Street Festival suitable for interstate visitors?

Absolutely. Many visitors travel from interstate specifically for the Festival, combining Beaker Street events with food, nature, art, and winter travel experiences across Tasmania.

The Festival is designed to help visitors experience both Hobart and regional Tasmania in a uniquely local way.