HOBARTICA EAST

Macquarie Island — halfway to Antarctica, fully wild — is home to one of Australia’s most isolated research stations. And while we can’t quite bring you the biting wind or penguin colonies, we can deliver the sub-Antarctic vibes straight to the Bellerive waterfront.

Step into Macca Dome, our Antarctic geodesic structure pulsing with icy projections by award-winning filmmaker Dr Frederique Olivier, then scope out the night sky through telescopes and encounter real-life Antarcticans in unexpected places.

It’s all part of Hobartica East — your chance to explore the southern frontier without leaving the Eastern Shore. But for those who want to venture further, catch a free night ferry to all the merriment across the river at Hobartica.

DR FREDERIQUE OLIVIER  After 20 seasons in Antarctica, Frederique Olivier has officially spent more time with penguins than most people spend on holiday—starting as a polar scientist and ending up lying in the snow filming emperor penguins for the BBC, all in the name of science, storytelling, and staying just warm enough to press record.

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