Australia Antarctic Festival
To be held on 22-25 August 2024, this biennial Australian Antarctic Festival brings Antarctica to the Hobart waterfront. The Festival provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy a fascinating program of Antarctic science and discovery. We also celebrate the rich international connection with the Antarctic and Hobart's position as a major Antarctic gateway city.
City of Hobart is a major partner of the festival and is excited to be supporting its organisation and delivery.
Keep a look out for updates on the event organiser's website here:
Mawson's Hut Foundation
Past events
Supporting inaugural visit by RV Polarstern
For the first time ever the German icebreaker the RV Polarstern is visited Hobart. While here, the ship's owners, the Alfred Wegener Institute, held a public exhibition from 3-4 February 2024 at the Waterside Pavilion to highlight the inaugural port call, highlighting the ship's research and science capabilities and programs, as well as a photography exhibition.
Following the exhibition, the German Embassy in Canberra hosted a Climate Talk at the Waterside Pavilion on 5 February. The focus of the talk is 'Has the Antarctic reached its tipping point? The global effects of melting ice in the wake of climate change', and this will be the first in a series of Climate Talks the German Embassy will be delivering across Australia.
As a welcoming Antarctic Gateway City, City of Hobart proudly assisted in the on-ground organising and promotion of the public exhibition and talk, in collaboration with Antarctica Tasmania, Department of State Growth.
Antarctic Day Conference 2023: Public Engagement with Antarctic: Connections from Afar
In recognition of the importance of public engagement in our Antarctic Gateway, City of Hobart partnered with UTAS to deliver this year's Antarctica Day conference, Public Engagement with Antarctica: Connections from Afar.
Speakers presented on a fascinating range of topics, including Antarctica at Home; Indigenous Perspectives; Engaging Science, Engaging Arts; and Antarctica Then and Now: Curating Antarctic Stories.
The afternoon workshops focused on two questions: what does Antarctic engagement mean in Hobart, and how can we forge connections into the future?
This was followed by an international panel discussion, More than Just Penguins? Bringing Antarctica alive for people back home, sharing the diverse successes, obstacles and opportunities related to connecting with a place that most of us will never visit.
A Report from the Conference is soon to be released and we will look to take forward some of the actions that were identified.
Antarctic Day is celebrated international each year on 1 December in recognition of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty.
Antarctic Season Opening 2023-24
The City of Hobart hosted a reception on Tuesday, 3 October 2023 at the Waterside Pavilion to celebrate the start of the 2023-24 Antarctic season. Over 120 people representing the sector attended, including many expeditioners who were days aways from heading south. Mrs Hanna Pappalardo, Consul General of Italy based in Melbourne attended as guest speaker.
The City of Hobart is excited by the opportunities to engage with so many international programs this season with the Port of Hobart hosting several icebreakers including from France, Italy, Germany and China, in addition to Australia's RSV Nuyina.
At the Reception we recognised the expertise and experiences of the Australian sector. We also acknowledged that this season will be the greatest opportunity in recent years for the city to strengthen our role as an Antarctic leader and showcase local products, capabilities, and services to customers of Hobart's Antarctic Gateway.
COMNAP Conference | Hobart 2023
The 2023 Search & Rescue Workshop, AGM and Symposium for the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) was held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart from 23 - 29 June.
Member programs are organisations that have responsibility for delivering and supporting scientific research in the Antarctic Treaty Area on behalf of their respective governments and in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty.
This was an opportunity to promote Hobart's gateway role and strengthen relationships through engaging with conference delegates.
City of Hobart had Antarctic Gateway banners up around the city and outside Town Hall while the conference is on, support on the Tasmanian trade stand and participated in meetings with key stakeholders and delegates.
The Lord Mayor hosted a Reception for key sector representatives and delegates representing other Antarctic Gateway Cites to promote our desire for collaboration.