When winter rolls around, it’s tempting to wrap yourself into a doona burrito and go straight into hibernation. But what happens if you embrace those crisp days and dark nights? For inspiration, we ventured down to the Apple Isle, where winter temperatures hover around 13 degrees and mountain peaks are dotted with white. Exploring Hobart and its surrounds during the Off Season is a treat for the senses – locals take pride in doing things differently here, and the city comes alive with boundary-pushing events and experiences. Then there are the natural wonders: you’ll be greeted by clear skies, rugged mountains, tranquil bays and rolling green hills that host some of the country’s best produce – all within a few hours of the city.WINE AND DINE
Considering that the entire state of Tasmania is classified as a wine region (it boasts 160 producers), it’s basically a crime not to stop for a tipple or two at one of the numerous cellar doors. About an hour out of Hobart is Bangor Vineyard Shed in Dunalley, a cellar door and restaurant situated on 6,000 hectares of farming property. Smack bang on the peninsula between Blackman Bay and Dunalley Bay, Bangor’s dining room overlooks vast, glassy water – staring out the window with a glass of sparkling wine in hand is about as serene as it gets. The menu features the native Angasi oyster, which is at its best in the winter months, and pulled straight from Boomer Bay five minutes down the road. There’s also a delightful cheese platter from the local Bream Creek Dairy. If only we all lived this close to world-class nosh.

Fun fact: Angasi oysters can take up to four years to grow before they’re harvested.FIRE AND CLAY
At Lisa Briztman’s raku pottery workshops, you’ll find yourself “painting with fire”. Lisa and her husband run Campo De Flori, a breathtaking lavender and olive farm in the Huon Valley that is also home to Lisa’s ceramics studio and outdoor kiln. Raku – with which Lisa has over 40 years of experience with – is an ancient Japanese firing technique. Red-hot ceramics emerge from a 1000-degree kiln, get plunged into yet more fire and are finally blasted with cold water. Under the intense conditions, the glazes on each ceramic piece react to create dramatic metallic and crackle effects – the result is a bit like unearthing a precious artefact that’s been buried for centuries. You never quite know what you’re going to end up with, either, but that’s all part of the magic. Lisa says the process teaches you to be “happy with what you get” – wise words.NATURE/NURTURE
The wilderness is inescapable in Tassie, so rug up and let nature nurture you; going off grid is one of the best ways to reset and clear your head. kunanyi / Mount Wellington and Bruny Island are both in easy reach of Hobart (the latter gets crowded in summer, which makes winter a nice time to fully take in the sights). There’s also the Tahune Airwalk, a 30m-high elevated walkway, deep in the forests of the Huon Valley, which takes you through the lush canopy. For thrill seekers, there’s a swinging bridge along the way and a cantilever that’s 50m above ground (jump up and down if you dare), with glorious views of the Huon River. The nice thing about Tahune is that it’s fully accessible, with walking tracks of varying intensity to suit everyone’s needs.

Fun fact: Hobart is the second driest city in Australia.FASCINATING FUNGI
When Dean Smith purchased his Mount Rumney property in Hobart, he wasn’t sure what to do with the hundred-year-old abandoned train tunnel it came with. It was a friend who suggested he try growing mushrooms. Dark and super-humid, the tunnel is a great place for winter-loving strains of oyster mushrooms. Now Dean’s business Tunnel Hill Mushrooms supplies local restaurants with shiitake, white oysters, king oysters and shimofuri. He’s growing ghost mushrooms, too (they glow green at night) – though they’re just for fun, not consumption. Dean’s tour (available by appointment) will give you an insight into the entire mushroom-growing process – which can take months from spore to fruit – and you’ll leave with a whole new appreciation for our fungi friends.

Fun fact: once at the fruiting stage, Dean’s mushrooms can ‘bloom’ virtually overnight.

STAY A WHILE
Brisk weather makes a cosy home base all the better in our opinion. If you’d like to treat yourself to the ultimate in creature comforts, check out The Islington Hotel. The Regency-style building, just out of Hobart’s CBD, dates back to 1847 and was once a grand family house. The boutique hotel still retains much of the historic home’s original charms, with an ornate staircase and lovely details on doors and windows. We highly recommend curling up with a good book by one of the many fireplaces in the front rooms – the unique art and a collection of curiosities might inspire you to redecorate your home, too.EAT UP
For the love of God – do not pack tight jeans or a figure-hugging anything on a trip south. Tassie produces some of Australia’s finest produce, and you’re going to want to devour as much of it as possible. Peppina, a relatively new joint in Hobart, is a standout if you like rustic Italian fare that uses awesome local ingredients. Definitely try the paccheri pasta with slow-cooked wagyu shin and pork belly (it’s top-notch) and consult the expert sommelier, Michael Fisher, on what to wash it down with. There’s more excellent Italian nosh to be had over at Templo (just remember to book ahead). The tiny dining room is consistently packed, but with a selection of unique wines and a seasonal set menu, it’s one place worth squeezing into. A heads up: you’ll likely share a table with fellow diners, but oohing and ahhing over a rad dish with others is half the fun.^{photo by Rémi Chauvin}

MUSIC AND MERRY
What do you get when you put a giant stage in an empty parking lot down by Hobart’s docks? Not exactly a rave – but something just as good for communing with a crowd of strangers: the annual Festival of Voices. The long-running winter festival brings people together to sing their hearts out, with a big program of performances and choral workshops that encourage everyone to sing along. There’s no shortage of awe-inspiring arts and cultural festivals in Tasmania (it is the home of Dark Mofo, after all), so have a squiz online and see what’s happening when you’re in town.

Fun fact: group singing can lift your mood and overall wellbeing. Sing loud and proud!COOKING WITH HEART
Giuliana White is the nonna you’ve always wanted. Warm, generous and a deft cook who is adamant about keeping her own nonna’s traditions alive, Giuliana kindly passes on her decades of knowledge through cooking classes at The Farmhouse Kitchen in Wattle Grove. Giuliana’s parents, who arrived in Australia in 1959 from Italy, taught her and her four siblings some valuable culinary lessons: the best Italian food is simple, and feeding a large family needn’t be expensive. If you’re lucky enough to join one of Giuliana’s pasta-making classes, you’ll learn how to make a heart-warming tomato sauce from only a handful of ingredients. She’ll walk you through the dough-making techniques she learnt from her mother, which require no eggs, yet still yield soft yellow strands that are light and silky once cooked (no carb comas here). Eggs and meat, of course, were expensive stuff back then, in both Puglia, the region in southern Italy where Giuliana’s parents were from, and in ’60s Australia. Giuliana grew up with the “La Cucina Povera” (peasant food) style of cooking – her family didn’t have much, but they knew how to make things taste good with few ingredients. Nearly all of Giuliana’s expertise was passed down orally, from family member to family member – making and devouring her dishes feels like being let in on a family secret for a day.We felt pretty lucky to press pause and refuel our creativity in Hobart. The city’s unique experiences and pristine surrounds really come alive during the Off Season. Whether you immerse yourself in nature for some peace and quiet, or choose to feed your curiosity at myriad cultural events, you’ll leave grinning from ear to ear.This article was produced in partnership with our pals at Tourism Tasmania. Dive into nature and come up smiling by planning a wild, weird and wonderful Off Season adventure. This is winter, for real. For more inspiration hit up the Off Season website.