The Australian Antarctic Festival is a fantastic new addition to Tasmania’s festival line up.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is proud to be providing $35,000 in seed funding through Events Tasmania to support this new event that will help to draw even more visitors to our state this September.
Antarctica captivates our curiosity with its remoteness, its incredible wildlife and an environment unlike anywhere else.
While today, thousands of kilometres and the Southern Ocean separate us and our Australian base, our connections have never been closer, or more important. Tasmania is the gateway to the Antarctic.
Since the late 1800s Hobart has been the departure point for explorers, and that continues today with scientists and research vessels refuelling, restocking and recouping before heading south.
It is great that we now have a festival that celebrates this history and our present day bond.
I congratulate the event founders, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and the Mawson’s Huts Foundation.
The Wooden Boat team is responsible for one our state’s most successful events and I’m sure that this will be the case with the Australian Antarctic Festival.
Already a carefully coordinated program has been established with something for everyone, from photographic and art exhibitions, to a film festival and a gala dinner.
For the first time in a decade, Tasmanians and visitors alike will be given the opportunity to go below deck aboard the iconic Aurora Australis and L ’Astrolabe.
Importantly, the festival will also inspire future generations, with school groups encouraged to take part in the learning opportunities.
We want Tasmania to become Australia’s boutique events capital, and one of the world’s greatest events destinations, which is why we launched the Events Strategy last year. Events give travellers another reason to come to our state, injecting new money into our economy and supporting jobs.