Culture

Tourism is an important sector in the Tasmanian economy, so it is little wonder that there has been a lot of government support at the state level for cultural events in Tasmania. A number of popular events are held throughout the year, including the Royal Launceton Show and the Royal Hobart Show during October, the Southern Roots Festival at Easter and the Falls Festival, which is a New Year’s Eve music event held simultaneously in Tasmania’s Marion Bay and in Victoria. The annual Boxing Day Yacht Race from Sydney to Hobart is another popular event, which finishes at about the same time as the annual festival of food and wine, the Taste of Tasmania event.

Tasmania’s British colonial history left it with a tradition of English cuisine, but immigration from other parts of the world has brought a wider range of tastes to the island. Tasmania is known for its wines and beers such as Cascade and Boags, which are commonly exported to the rest of Australia. King Island, which is part of the Tasmanian state, is known for its dairy produce, notably for its boutique cheeses. Tasmania, as befits and island, also has a reputation for eating seafood such as salmon, crayfish and orange roughy.

Tasmania has developed its own particular brand of culture, with a number of well-known artists having originated from the islands. Literary Tasmanians include Marion and Steve Isham, authors of the children’s book Tiger Tale, Christopher Koch, author of The Year of Living Dangerously, and Richard Flanagan, author of Gould’s Book of Fish. A number of composers also have links to Tasmania, including Don Kay, Constantine Koukias and Maria Grenfell. The state is also home to the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the IHOS Music Theatre and Opera. Artists from Tasmania include Geoffrey Dyer and Jack Carington Smith. Tasmania has produced some internationally known actors, including Simon Baker, Rachel Taylor and Errol Flynn.

Sport plays an important role in the Tasmanian culture. The state’s cricket team, the Tasmanian Tigers, have been very successful and the state has hosted a number of international cricket matches at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting is a Tasmanian. Australian Rules Football is another popular sport in Tasmania, although the state does not yet have its own team in the AFL. Soccer is also popular in Tasmania, and the state hosts a tennis tournament, the Moorilla International, every year.

Art, culture and heritage are highly valued in Tasmania. Tasmania has a culture that is very artistic, energetic and relaxed. Although the state is home to less than three percent of the Australian population, nine percent of Australian artists call the island home. Art and culture is a living part of modern Tasmania, but it is also celebrated through the preservation of Tasmania’s cultural heritage and history. Tasmania is home to the first Royal Society ever to be established outside the United Kingdom. Started in 1844, the Society is still active today. Important Tasmanian museums include the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, the Port Arthur Historic Site and the Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Hobart is home to the largest private museum in the country, the Museum of Old and New Art, which opened in early 2011 and which is free to the public. Five historic sites relating to the convict history of the state have become World Heritage sites, and they offer an important link to the history of many Tasmanians and British families. The Australian Wooden Boat Festival celebrates the island’s maritime history every two years. As well as being home to an important shipbuilding industry, Tasmania was visited by a number of well-known maritime names, including Captain Cook and the captain of the Bounty, William Bligh.