What do we do when darkness falls? We reach for the light. On Tasmania’s east coast, that instinct has evolved beyond the usual winter rituals into a light-inspired festival. Every night between 27 June and 25 July, the beach town of Bicheno turns the Off Season lights on with Bicheno Beams (bichenobeams.com). Night after night, music pulses as powerful light beams slice into the sky, transforming the coastline. Even better, this family-friendly light show is completely free. Simply rug up at the Bicheno Lions Park on the seafront and let a friendly volunteer guide you to the best spot to take in the illuminated skyscape. Stay a second night and you’ll catch the alternating show.

Fill Your Winter Days

One simply does not visit Bicheno without trying to see its famous feathered residents. Combine penguin watching with a glimpse of Bicheno Beams by joining Bicheno Penguin Tours (bichenopenguintours. com.au). Learn about these stoic little penguins from a local guide while spotting them waddling ashore under the cover of the night sky. Then jump aboard the shuttle bus to catch the excitement of the light show. A Bicheno bucket list isn’t complete without a whisky tasting at Waubs Harbour Distillery (waubsharbourwhisky.com). Gather by the open fire on Off Season Saturdays (June-August), and warm up with a nip of sea-swept whisky while being regaled with local maritime tales. From seafaring stories to sifting through river stones, head inland and check into The Whimsy (thewhimsy.com.au), at the foot of the mystical Blue Tier to try your hand at fossicking. Step into a cool (alright, cold) forest stream and search for sapphires, topaz and zircon before retreating to the fireside at your cosy miner’s cottage to warm your hands and admire your haul. If your idea of a winter escape instead centres around liquid gold, book in for The Wine Master’s Table (wineglassbayestate.com.au). This three-night gastronomic Off

Season retreat (7-10 August) is hosted by Adrian Filiuta, one of only 300 Master Sommeliers worldwide. Loosen your belt for a five-course dining experience paired with Tasmanian cool-climate wines, plus accommodation at Wineglass Bay Estate, Tasmania’s newest luxury accommodation among 52 acres of coastal landscape. Seasoning plays an important role at Tasman Sea Salt (tasmanseasalt.com.au) year round, but visit during the Off Season and you’ll warm up with mulled cider before watching brine transform into delicate flakes. Taste the resulting salt with Freycinet Peninsula views, and you’ll think differently next time you take a pinch of salt. In St Helens, embrace the chill with a winter fire-and-ice contrast therapy ritual at Ripple HQ (ripplehq.com.au). Start with an infrared sauna, plunge into cold water, repeat three times, then melt back into Off Season stillness with tea and a face mask. You’ll leave feeling transformed.

Your Base Camp

The east coast is among the most beautiful places in the world, so take in the views and the salt-kissed air at your three-bedroom abode, Aperture (thrivingtasmania.com.au). Wake to 270° views over Great Oyster Bay, where winter days and fewer crowds make it ideal for exploring Freycinet’s trails. Piermont Retreat (piermont.com.au) invites you to celebrate the chill and lean into the Off Season by taking a bracing dip in Great Oyster Bay, before returning to fluffy robes, warming tea and kunzea body oil. For easy access to Bicheno Beams, stay at Cooinda (youniquestays.com.au/cooinda-bicheno-accommodation-1), where luxe coastal style is paired with front-row Waubs Bay views and the glow of an onsite sauna. Take a step back to enjoy the simple (if luxurious) things at Little Beach Co Resort (littlebeachco.com.au) tucked in the middle of the east coast. Settle in for a soak in your private hot tub or wood-fired sauna, sip Tasmanian-inspired glühwein, wrap up in soft blankets and wander to the outdoor firepit beneath a starry southern sky.

Winter Events Too Good to Miss

There’s no better way to keep warm than to get moving, and there’s nothing like a bush dance to get those toes tapping. The all-ages St Marys Winter Lights Festival and Bush Dance (events.humanitix.com/winter-lights-2026) marks the solstice on 20 June with day-time lantern making workshops in preparation for the evening’s lantern parade, fire performance and fire sculpture burning once the dark takes hold. It’s not hard to see why the beautiful Larapuna / Bay of Fires area provides inspiration for so many Tasmanian artists. Luckily, for those of us who aren’t as gifted, you can simply take in the view and leave the paint brushes to the professionals at the Bay of Fires Winter Arts Festival (bayoffireswinterartsfestival.com.au), held 5-8 June. Meet local artists, learn about their creative process, and make sure you’ve got room in the boot if tempted to take home a piece of the Off Season for the wall. Shorter days and cooler weather is a calling card to slow down and reset. The Yoga Retreat (yogainnature.com.au) runs 19-22 June at Freycinet Lodge and includes daily yoga, restorative sessions, candlelit meditation and Yoga Nidra with crackling open fires and ocean views.