Darkness and Light at Dark Mofo
Hobart’s annual winter festival, Dark Mofo, is often painted in the media as subversive, bleak, and strictly for the avant-garde. But as someone who has been inspired to cross Bass Strait three times to experience it, I think otherwise. To me, while it can be challenging, it’s convivial, fascinating, and fun.
Yes, it is rooted in ancient pagan themes associated with the winter solstice, but I also saw it as a cross-cultural celebration of ritual, renewal, and light. For seniors looking to shake off the winter doldrums, it offers the perfect excuse to embrace the cold, rug up in your favourite coats and hats, and experience a beautiful city that’s more alive than ever.
Finding the Light Side
The festival relies on a constant interplay between darkness and light. Sure, it has a dark side since the art can vividly depict the darker elements of our world, and much of the program takes place in dark venues or under the cover of night.
But the light side matters just as much. There are fireworks, the warm glow of log fires, stunning food and beverages, and an incredibly warm atmosphere generated by the patrons and staff. On my recent visit, Spectra—a magnificent column of light by Ryoji Ikeda—towered over the city, piercing the night sky.
During the daylight hours, Hobart returns to being a peaceful, walkable city. Because the main evening venues don’t open until 4 p.m., the daytime hours are ideal for exploring quieter indoor exhibitions or taking a scenic boat ride along the Derwent River to MONA and its Lawns, which are enlivened with music and extra culinary stalls. You can easily escape the festival pulse for a few hours by wandering through Salamanca Place and Battery Point or even take a few days to head further afield.
Food, Drinks, and the Winter Feast
You cannot talk about Dark Mofo without talking about the food. The Winter Feast on Princes Wharf is a magnificent showcase of Tasmanian produce, featuring over 70 food stalls. It’s a fiery, social space where log fires, a crimson glow, and genuine hospitality keep you exceptionally cozy.
Here, trend-setting Tasmania shines with carefully curated warming options like spiced ciders, artisanal gins, and rich hot chocolate made with local Anvers chocolate, jazzed up with native liqueurs. For those who prefer sobriety, the festival offers an abundance of sophisticated, organic botanical drinks from local producers like Oxbow Lab. While the indoor aisles of the wharf can become a bit of a shuffle during peak weekend times, the crowd is friendly and easily navigable if you aim for an early evening start.
The Ogoh-Ogoh Ritual
A critical feature of Dark Mofo that beautifully bridges the dark and light sides of the festival is the Ogoh-Ogoh. Every year, a new animal is chosen as a giant totem—a hollow Balinese sculpture that becomes a symbol of destruction and renewal.
Like thousands of others, I queued up inside a dark spherical tent to view the sculpture and post a list of the things I wanted to leave behind, into its belly. This year, it was the Pedra Branca skink, an endangered lizard from a tiny, windswept island off the Tasmanian coast. On the final night, after a massive procession through the streets, the totem is set ablaze. I found it both therapeutic and joyous to watch it burn, taking with it all those negatives.
Making It Work for You
If you are wondering if Dark Mofo is for you, the secret lies entirely in your planning and pacing. Be encouraged by the fact that the festival is multi-generational. Local families and children revel in the carnival atmosphere of the free events, bringing a wonderful vitality to the streets.
To get the most out of it without feeling overwhelmed, timing is everything. Time has to be reserved for the weekend events as so much happens between Thursday night and Sunday night, on the two main weekends. But you can choose to go early or late to secure a seat at popular food stalls.
The weekdays between the major festival weekends are a hidden gem. Hobart remains beautifully lit and active, but the crowds thin out considerably, making it much easier to move through venues.
It also helps to check the program ahead of time. Some evening events feature experimental music, strobes, or uneven surfaces, so checking accessibility details beforehand allows you to easily skip the intense installations and focus on the festive, lower-key outdoor hubs.
You don’t have to commit to twenty-four hours of festival energy. You can spend your days enjoying Hobart’s regular heritage charm, dip into a few choice Dark Mofo events in the late afternoon, and escape to a quiet dinner when you’ve had your fill.
From Drop-In to Stayer
My previous trips have been short, structured visits, but I have fallen so in love with the rhythm of this festival that I am planning to stay for the full ten days in 2027. By stretching the stay, I can fully immerse myself in the nighttime intensity of the fire pits, while leaving plenty of room for calmer daytime discoveries and regional excursions.
Dark Mofo isn’t just an avant-garde festival; it is a shared celebration of warmth in the heart of winter. Don’t let its edgy reputation keep you away—with a little planning, it is one of the most invigorating winter escapes Australia has to offer.
Planning Your Trip: Getting There and Accessibility
Getting there from Melbourne
The most straightforward option is a direct flight from Melbourne to Hobart, taking around one hour and twenty minutes with Jetstar, Virgin Australia or Qantas. If you’d rather bring a car and turn it into a longer Tasmanian holiday, the Spirit of Tasmania ferry now departs from Geelong (it moved from Station Pier in Port Melbourne in 2022), crossing overnight to Devonport in around nine to eleven hours. From Devonport, it’s roughly a four-hour drive to Hobart, so the ferry suits those planning to explore more of the island rather than a quick festival visit.
Winter Feast accessibility (Princes Wharf 1)
The Winter Feast venue is wheelchair accessible, with the exception of a small section on the Salamanca Lawns. Some outdoor areas have uneven paving and grass surfaces, and light levels are low in the evenings. Accessible multi-storey parking is available at Salamanca Square Car Park, with additional outdoor parking at Abel Tasman Fountain Car Park off Castray Esplanade, and on-street accessible parking along Castray Esplanade and Salamanca Place. Staff assistance is available at the entry on the corner of Morrison Street and Castray Esplanade, and there’s an accessible toilet on site. For specific questions, Dark Mofo’s bookings team can be reached at tickets@mona.net.au or +61 (3) 6277 9978.
Tickets and admission
Single night tickets are sold at the Princes Wharf 1 Box Office from 4pm, or you can purchase a Season Pass for unlimited entry across all nights. Note that single night tickets don’t come with pass-outs, so once you leave the venue you’ll need to queue and pay again to re-enter — worth factoring into your evening if you’re planning a dinner break elsewhere.
Note: accessibility details for other Dark Mofo venues (such as Stasis and other program events) vary by location — worth checking the specific event page on darkmofo.net.au closer to the date.
More articles by Marjie Courtis can be found at www.ozimage.com.au
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