Latest news with #BeakerStreetFestival
Perth Now
19-07-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Stories in the stars shared at science festival
Theresa Sainty can't imagine looking up at the night sky and not seeing the stars. The Pakana woman says looking up at the night skies above lutruwita (Tasmania) she can see the creation stories of her people. "It's important, culturally, for us to be able to continue that," she said. "It is a part of culture and it is part of caring for Country." Ms Sainty, a scholar at the University of Tasmania, will share stories of Wurangkili Liwari Nipaluna (the night sky of Hobart) with visitors to the city's Beaker Street Festival. Drawing on her work in language revitalisation and traditional knowledge systems, Ms Sainty will talk about the connection between the sky, land, culture and people. The session, held on kunanyi (Mt Wellington), is not about becoming an expert in Palawa creation stories and astronomy, Ms Sainty said, but gaining an understanding of the ways culture has endured for thousands of years. "It's about continuing the Palawa story, which is a story of survival and initiative and adaptability," she said. "We were the first astronomers, we were the first scientists and I think it's really important that the wider community ... know that we have survived and we continue with culture that has miraculously continued uninterrupted irrespective of colonisation." At nearby Piyura Kitina (Risdon Cove) Kitana Mansell will be telling stories of Palawa people and celebrating their knowledge and strength through food. The event, ningina Palawa kipli piyura kitina-ta, which means to give, to get, to bring Palawa food, was more than a shared meal, she said. "It's a journey into the heart of what Aboriginal food is and our culture and telling those stories of Country and tradition," Ms Mansell said. "Piyura Kitina is a perfect example of how we've been able to do that with the land given back to our community since 1995, showing how we as Aboriginal people can take care of Country in our own way, and not having rules and regulations around practising our culture." There's a dark history at Risdon Cove, as the site of first impacts of colonisation in Tasmania. But Ms Mansell said she hopes to showcase the native flavours of the area, and the stories that stretch far beyond colonisation. "For over 150 years Aboriginal people were not allowed to eat our traditional foods, or practice our cultural harvesting," she said. "To be able to have the responsibility as a proud Palawa woman to showcase that we're reconnecting back to our food and our history, it's a great opportunity." Beaker Street Festival will be held on August 12-19.
Time Out
15-07-2025
- Time Out
This abandoned train tunnel is now Australia's coolest mushroom farm – and you can explore it
Mushrooms are everywhere right now – and I'm talking in more places than just your bowl of risotto. These humble fungi are popping up in everything from plant-based proteins and coffee powders to skincare serums, wellness elixirs, biodegradable packaging and even faux leather made from mushroom roots. I, for one, am an OG mushroom fan and love all the umami goodness they add to dishes. So when I heard about an old railway tunnel turned fungi farm hiding in Tasmania, I had to visit. Just like mushroom sprouts, this tunnel is destined to grow into something awesome. Hidden below the slopes of Mount Rumney, just a 20-minute drive from Hobart 's CBD, Tunnel Hill Mushrooms is one of only two operating mushroom farms in abandoned railway tunnels across the country. After more than a decade of exclusively supplying local chefs and restaurants, founder Dean Smith is finally rolling up the tunnel door and welcoming the public to explore the mycelial magic of his underground mushroom lair. The story behind Tunnel Hill Mushrooms is as extraordinary as the fungi it produces. When Smith and his family purchased the Mount Rumney property in 2000 – which included a 90-metre stretch of the 165-metre, heritage-listed Bellerive–Sorell railway tunnel – they intended to transform it into a small hobby farm. That was, until they received a surprise visit from Dr Warwick Gill, the original farm manager at Huon Valley Mushrooms. With Gill as his mentor, Smith discovered that the tunnel's cool, damp climate and naturally high humidity were ideal for growing mushrooms. After a workplace injury forced him to give up his career as a qualified electrician, he fully turned his energy to fungi, setting up a small home lab and experimenting with cold-loving oyster strains. Fast forward almost 20 years, and Tunnel Hill is now one of Tasmania's most sought-after suppliers, providing gourmet mushrooms on demand to top restaurants like Aløft, Peppina, Driftwood and Tasman Restaurant. In a self-built lab next to the tunnel, Smith clones mycelium, cultivates them on agar plates, spawns them in sterilised grain to create fully-inoculated blocks and places them in the tunnel, where the mushroom bodies begin to grow. Over the years, his one-man oyster mushroom operation has expanded to include lion's mane, reishi, shiitake and shimeji turkey tail varieties, just to name a few. Tunnel Hill has previously collaborated with popular Tassie events, like Dark Mofo and Beaker Street Festival – but now, Smith is opening his tunnel to tastemakers interested in learning about the production process from petri dish to plate. The coolest part is the chance for visitors to harvest their own mushrooms and have them cooked for tasting on a one-of-a-kind 'train barbecue'. Smith plans to double his fungi-growing operation in the coming years and design a space in the tunnel for private dinners and one-off events. In the meantime, you can check out his Off Season tunnel tours here. 🌊 The best places to visit in Tasmania ❄️ I visited Australia's coldest state in the middle of winter – here's why you should too
Scoop
13-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
2025 Beaker Street Science Photography Finalists Announced
A glowing quoll in the Tasmanian wilderness, the first documentation of its kind, leads a striking line-up of finalists announced today for the 2025 Beaker Street Science Photography Prize. Captured by photographer Ben Alldridge using specialised UV-sensitive techniques, the image reveals the Eastern Quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) biofluorescing in its natural habitat. While many animals are known to glow under ultraviolet light, this is the first time the phenomenon has been recorded in the wild for this endangered species. The image forms part of ongoing research into the impacts of light pollution on native wildlife. This remarkable photograph is one of 12 finalist images that will be exhibited at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) from 6 to 31 August as part of Beaker Street Festival. Each image tells a powerful scientific story, spanning microscopic exploration, ecological discovery and rarely seen natural phenomena. Visitors to the free TMAG exhibition will be invited to vote for their favourite image in the People's Choice category, with winners to be announced at the end of the exhibition. 'This year's finalists really capture what Beaker Street is all about. Making science visible, beautiful and emotionally resonant,' said Festival Founder and Executive Director Dr Margo Adler. 'These photographs let us see the world differently, and in some cases quite literally reveal things we've never seen before.' From dark sky conservation and photosynthesising sea slugs to auroras, slime moulds and high-speed wildlife drama, this year's finalists offer a visual reminder of the wonder, complexity and fragility of the world around us. 2025 Beaker Street Science Photography Prize Finalists include: Ben Alldridge – The Magic Rat and His Slick Machine – The first wild documentation of an Eastern Quoll's biofluorescence Sarah Lloyd – Slime Moulds: Overlooked and Underestimated – Capturing micro-organisms critical to nutrient cycling Alison McNeice – PhotosyntheSlug – A sea slug that photosynthesises via kleptoplasty David Nolan – Milky Way over Waterworks Reserve – Highlighting the importance of dark sky conservation Jordan Cripps – Your Hand in Mine – Aurora Australis over the Tessellated Pavement Chelsea Bell – Crystalline Forest – Frost formation on Nothofagus gunnii leaves Nicolas Horniblow – Sea Spider – Macrophotography of Tasmania's Pallenella ambigua Kelli Miller – Inner Terrain – Microscopy revealing polymerised protein puddles in blood Deon Scanlon – Aerodynamic Attraction – Capturing the wonder of birds in flight Rosa Maria Cañedo-Apolaya – Keep Swimming… This is My Spot – Documenting territorial fish behaviour Lily Barnett – Lunch Time – A white-bellied sea eagle stealing prey from a fur seal Matilda Francis (Under 12) – Liken the Lichen – A young photographer's close-up of lichen at Mt Field The Judges' Choice winner will receive a $200 voucher to spend on food and wine at Frogmore Creek Cellar Door and Restaurant in Richmond, while the People's Choice winner will enjoy a wilderness cruise for two adults with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. The Science Photography Prize is one of many public highlights of Beaker Street Festival, a week-long celebration of science and art held across Tasmania from 12 to 19 August. With more than 70 events, the 2025 program includes headline talks, immersive field trips, after-dark adventures and quirky experiences such as a nightclub for sexual health, slime mould safaris and a live onstage dating show. Beaker Street Festival invites curious minds of all backgrounds to explore the world through science, story and connection. Beaker Street Festival is presented by Beaker Street, an independent charitable cultural organisation building community through scientific understanding in Lutruwita/Tasmania. Beaker Street Festival is supported by the following Major Partners: the Tasmanian Government, City of Hobart, the Australian Government as part of National Science Week, and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. The Science Photography Prize is sponsored by the Pennicott Foundation, and supported by Full Gamut and Cam Blake Photography. About Beaker Street Festival Beaker Street Festival is a week-long celebration of science and art in Lutruwita/Tasmania each August. Now in its eighth year, Beaker Street Festival promises a mix of wonder, flavour, and scientifically proven fun. The Festival invites adults from all walks of life to delve into today's hottest topics with a packed program of science-infused experiences, mind-expanding entertainment and intimate eco-adventures, while experiencing the best of Tasmanian environments and culture.
Time Out
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Australia's coolest science festival returns to Tasmania for another mind-blowing year in 2025
You won't find many festivals where you can plunge into icy Arctic waters, speed-date scientists, drink booze with death experts, or debate the science of sex – but that's just a taster of the program at Beaker Street Festival. Returning to Tasmania in August 2025, Australia's quirkiest science and arts festival is ready to blow your mind with more than 70 wild and wacky events, all focused around themes of death, pleasure and humanity. This year, the festivities will unfold during National Science Week – from Saturday, August 9 to Sunday, August 17 – with activations spanning from the Tasmania Museum and Gallery, City Hall and The Old Mercury Building, to lively pubs, bars and restaurants dotting the Hobart waterfront and CBD. Forget boring school science experiments or dull university lectures – this year's Beaker Street program is one of its biggest and boldest yet. The festival's signature stage at Hobart City Hall will return with headline talks and raucous debates. You can learn about the science of better sex in Come Again? An Evening of Sex and Science, look for love in Melbourne's cult nerd-dating show Human Love Quest: Your Chemical Romance!, question AI in What's Your p(Doom)?, see Dr Karl in a headline solo show, and test your knowledge in the festival's flagship Beaker Street Game Show. It's a rite of passage for anyone visiting Antarctica to brave the cold with a polar plunge. Beaker Street Festival will once again bring this freezing 'hot trend' to the Hobart waterfront, aka Australia's Gateway to Antarctica, so you too can freeze in the name of science. Don't worry, a steamy sauna will be waiting to defrost you post-plunge. Back by popular demand, Beaker Street's Roving Scientist Bar will take over Hope and Anchor – Australia's oldest continuously licensed pub – for three lively nights of speed dating, science-style. Meanwhile, the Tasmanian Museum and Gallery will be the heart of the festival's free program, featuring After Dark sessions, where you can explore the galleries and exhibitions late at night, including the 9th annual Science Photography Prize. As we mentioned before, this really is just a taster of the Beaker Street Festival program. Budding scientists and curious travellers can also dine beneath the starry night sky, play hide and seek with pink-glowing possums, witness the wonders of the Aurora Australis, harvest mushrooms in a historic tunnel, and tour a cutting-edge seaweed farm. Ready to geek out? You can peruse the full program here.
