On a cold Tasmanian night, I found myself sitting in a purpose-built hide, glass of local wine in hand, watching one of Australia’s most iconic animals roam and feed just metres away.
The after-dark wildlife encounter is one of a growing number of experiences helping reshape perceptions of winter travel in Tasmania.
For decades, winter has been considered the state’s quiet season. The time between the summer rush and the return of warmer weather. But after spending several days travelling along Tasmania’s east coast, it’s clear the island has far more to offer during the colder months than many travellers realise.
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Rather than convincing visitors to tolerate winter, Tourism Tasmania’s Off-Season campaign is built around the idea that the colder months offer experiences that simply don’t exist at other times of the year.
That philosophy was evident everywhere, from after-dark wildlife encounters and vineyard experiences to producer-led tours and, for those with a bit more cash in their back pocket, private island retreats.
The people behind the experience
One thing quickly became apparent while travelling through Tasmania’s east coast: the experiences are impressive, but it’s the people behind them that leave the lasting impression.
That philosophy was evident from the first stop.
Chris and Alice moved from London to Tasmania in 2013 after spotting an opportunity hiding in plain sight. Despite Tasmania being surrounded by some of the world’s cleanest seawater, there was no local sea salt producer.
Today, their family-run business, Tasman Sea Salt, supplies many of the state’s leading restaurants using a low-impact harvesting process developed specifically for the east coast’s unique climate.
“It’s really important to us that we find a way to protect this natural environment,” Alice said during a behind-the-scenes tour.
The tasting showcased salts paired with natural local ingredients, highlighting how closely the products are connected to the landscape and coastline from which they are harvested.
That same passion for place appeared throughout the region.
At Freycinet Marine Farm, visitors can enjoy oysters and mussels harvested from local waters alongside seafood sourced from across Tasmania.
Owners Julia and Giles Fisher purchased the business in 2005 with the aim of showcasing the state’s seafood industry to visitors travelling through Coles Bay.
It didn’t take long to understand the appeal. The oysters were incredibly fresh, and the Sri Lankan Curry Mussels among the most memorable dishes of the trip.
Further north in Bicheno, Marcus and Sara transformed their existing lobster export business into The Lobster Shack after noticing tourists struggled to find fresh local seafood ready to eat.
Both come from generations of Tasmanian fishing families, and today their business offers visitors a direct connection to the state’s seafood industry, from Southern Rock Lobster to sea urchin roe harvested from nearby waters.
At nearby Waubs Harbour Whisky, another family story unfolds.
The distillery occupies a former oyster hatchery perched on the edge of the ocean and was founded after brothers Tim and Rob Polmear began discussing what the perfect whisky distillery might look like.
That conversation, held around a campfire over a glass of whisky, eventually became Waubs Harbour, a maritime single malt whisky distillery shaped by the ocean that surrounds it.
Fittingly, visitors can now enjoy fireside tastings of the whisky, warming their hands and glasses while learning how the rugged coastline has influenced every bottle.
Wine, whisky and oysters
Food and drink feature prominently throughout Tasmania’s east coast, but not in the way visitors might expect.
Rather than focusing solely on fine dining, many experiences connect travellers directly with the people producing the ingredients.
Perhaps nowhere is this clearer than at Devil’s Corner Vineyard’s Moulting Lagoon Adventure.
Available only during winter, the experience takes guests behind the scenes through Hazards Vineyard before heading out to Moulting Lagoon, where oyster shucking demonstrations are conducted from the back of a ute.
Guests gather around a fire pit with glasses of sparkling wine and Riesling in hand. Marshmallows roast over vine cuttings while mugs of mulled wine provide relief from the winter chill.
The experience concludes with lunch in a hidden underground cellar known as The Devil’s Den before a hosted tasting of cool-climate Tasmanian wines.
It’s the chance to experience the region at a slower pace, with fewer crowds and greater access to the people behind it, and a reminder that some of Tasmania’s most memorable experiences aren’t despite winter, but because of it.
Dining experiences throughout the trip carried a similar focus on local produce.
At Oirthir, a restaurant created by Scottish-born husband-and-wife chefs, Bob Piechniczek and Jillian McInnes, Tasmanian ingredients are elevated through a combination of French technique and Scottish heritage.
The pair first visited Tasmania on their honeymoon in 2019 and were so captivated by the island that they eventually built a restaurant celebrating its produce.
Much of that produce comes from the property’s own gardens. One of the standout moments of the meal came in the form of a simple cup of eucalyptus and mint tea.
After ordering a pot, we watched our host step into the garden to gather fresh eucalyptus leaves and mint, which were then presented in a teapot at the end of the meal.
Meanwhile, at Piermont Retreat’s Homestead Restaurant, seafood, local vegetables and regional produce took centre stage against the backdrop of Great Oyster Bay.
The retreat’s greatest luxury, however, may be its sense of stillness. Sitting outside with a pot of tea overlooking the bay on a winter morning, it was easy to understand why guests return year after year.
The only movement came from the water and the wildlife, with the surrounding landscape providing a reminder of just how peaceful Tasmania can be once the summer crowds have gone.
Wildlife after dark
While Tasmania’s food scene may attract visitors, its wildlife experiences are arguably what set it apart.
The standout was Devils in the Dark at East Coast Natureworld.
Guests gather inside a purpose-built hide and watch Tasmanian devils feed in near-natural conditions while enjoying fresh Tasmanian wine and cheese.
The experience feels more like stepping into a wildlife documentary than visiting a traditional attraction.
Only metres away, the world’s largest carnivorous marsupials snarl, compete and feed under cover of darkness.
Then, for those looking to splurge a bit, there is Picnic Island.
Located just 800 metres off the coast of Coles Bay, the private wildlife sanctuary accommodates a maximum of eight guests for a single booking and is available for only 100 nights each year.
Accessible only by boat, the island is home to a resident colony of little penguins.
As darkness falls, the penguins emerge from the water and make their way ashore, waddling through the island completely unfazed by the humans sharing their habitat.
There are no crowds, no viewing platforms and no barrier, just wildlife behaving naturally in one of Tasmania’s most spectacular coastal settings.
Complete with meals prepared by a private chef, the experience sits firmly at the luxury end of the market, with sole use of the island starting from around $16,000 a night and a minimum three-night booking.
Why Tasmania is betting on winter
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Tasmania’s Off-Season campaign is that it doesn’t try to make winter feel like summer.
Instead, it embraces everything that makes the season unique, inviting visitors to experience the island at a slower, more intimate pace.
The colder weather draws people closer to crackling fireplaces, encourages longer lunches over local wine, and creates opportunities to experience landscapes and wildlife without the crowds that often accompany the warmer months.
At Little Beach Co., guests can watch waves roll onto the shoreline from a piping hot wood-fired spa, while native wildlife moves through the surrounding bushland.
Watching the sunrise from the sauna on a crisp winter morning, it was easy to understand why the colder months have become such a drawcard for visitors seeking to slow down.
At Sea Stacks Bicheno, which is set to welcome guests in the coming months, architecturally designed accommodation has been carefully integrated into the surrounding wetland environment.
The cabins have been created to foster a sense of comfort and connection to the landscape, encouraging visitors to slow down and experience Tasmania’s east coast at a gentler pace.
Many destinations spend winter waiting for summer to return. Tasmania has taken a different approach.
By building experiences around the season rather than despite it, the state has created a compelling reason to visit during the quieter months, offering travellers something that cannot be replicated at any other time of year.
