In the Deep Midwinter

Dear Friends

Where are my manners? It’s been a while between posts but we have been crazy busy here in the South! Time now to make up for it as we three are curled up by the fire while the wind howls outside and wild seas lash the coastline.

Tasmania markets itself over winter with the slogan ‘The off season’ ( though in the promo the f’s are reversed, not sure how to do that on a Monday night after a glass of red!). Of course the idea that no one comes to Tasmania in winter is far from true as one of Tassie’s BIG events is the wonderful Dark Mofo Festival in June which celebrates the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere with large scale public art, music, fire, food, light and noise. The residents really get behind the event and the city turns red with people donning the Mofo signature colour and changing light bulbs to create a scarlet hue. What a blast.

This was the first year we’d really been involved and it really was a toe in the water of what could become an obsession.

My (Jan) first event was at ‘Stories After Dark’ at Libraries Tasmania’s HQ in Hobart in my official capacity as Chair of the Tasmanian Library Advisory Board. The team at Libraries Tas had created the most amazing series of events on every level of the library, including the parking lot, each of which was connected to the collection. Story-times around fire pits, re-enactments of historical journals and perhaps my favourite, a disco floor with archival footage of Hobart pub bands of the 80’s to get us moving. Minister Archer and I strutted our stuff and I felt as though I was at a NSW Public Libraries conference!.

From the Library (and a quick wardrobe readjustment) I segued into Dark Mofo rookie and let my friends Christine and Ian show me the ropes. We dined at Dark Park, a completely black expanse interspersed only by fire pits, under the soaring spectra, a light installation that sends a beam of light heavenward – it can be seen from Bruny and beyond. Then back to Willyana, their yacht moored in Constitution Dock for coffee. Pinch me now! ( and yes, for those with attention to detail (read Garry Payne) this is the vessel we were aboard for the Salmon protest).

Fast forward five days and there I was on 22 June with 2,000 of my friends running into the Derwent River at sunrise as part of the winter solstice swim wearing a red bathing cap and naught else. I was actually with my buddies Veronica, Gerry and Tristan and the four of us were interviewed by ABC Radio prior to the event. To say we were on a high would be to put it mildly.

A quick trip back to Bruny for the midday Solstice swim with the Dunking Southern Rights (DSR) followed by a little tipple of Tassie gin to celebrate.