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Spend a relaxing winter in nature on an all-expense paid trip to wild Tasmania

Spend a relaxing winter in nature on an all-expense paid trip to wild Tasmania

Straits Times26-05-2025

Curringa Farm spans over 300ha of land, with around 3,000 sheep that roam free. PHOTO: CURRINGA FARM
SINGAPORE – For the first time, Tasmania is inviting one Singapore resident to embrace winter life Down Under on a week-long, all-expenses-paid trip in August.
The trip, dubbed a 'Winternship', is part of a campaign run by Tourism Tasmania and travel booking platform Trip.com, and will feature an itinerary of Tasmanian experiences.
The winner will visit three establishments in Australia's southernmost state – Kuuma Nature Sauna, Devil's Corner Cellar Door winery and Curringa Farm – where he or she will take part in hands-on activities that showcase Tasmania's tourism offerings.
Kuuma Nature Sauna offers sauna cruising in Hobart on a custom-made pontoon vessel with a wood-fired sauna on board.
PHOTO: KUUMA NATURE SAUNA
For instance, at Kuuma Nature Sauna – dubbed the 'first Australian sauna boat' – the winner will spend a morning loading a floating wood-fired sauna before heading to the Southern Ocean for a cold plunge.
The pontoon vessel is custom-designed for sauna cruising and can comfortably accommodate up to eight guests, who can enjoy the sauna on board and dive into the ocean, which is a brisk 9 deg C in winter and 17 deg C in summer.
At Devil's Corner Cellar Door, a two-hour drive from Hobart, the winner will shuck fresh oysters and learn how Tasmania's terroir contributes to its rich agriculture.
Shear sheep at Curringa Farm.
PHOTO: TOURISM TASMANIA
And on the roughly 303ha Curringa Farm – where around 3,000 sheep roam – he or she can wrangle livestock in sheep-shearing demonstrations and sessions to hand-feed herds.
The itinerary will include tours of other popular sites in Tasmania, such as Bruny Island, Cradle Mountain and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Winternship campaign follows the success of a previous edition, dubbed Odd Jobs, where Australia residents could win a winter stay in Tasmania taking on quirky roles like wombat walker, stargazer and truffle hunter. The Odd Jobs campaign recorded more than 12,000 applicants for 10 jobs in 2024 .
In 2025, 10 Australia residents will win trips based on such roles.
According to Tasmanian Visitor Survey data in December , Tasmania welcomed around 1.3 million travellers in 2024, of which around 254,000 were international visitors.
Among its top Asian visitor markets were China (9 per cent), Hong Kong (9 per cent) and Singapore (4 per cent).
Ms Sarah Clark, chief executive of Tourism Tasmania, says: 'Singapore has been a longstanding inbound market for Tasmania, with travellers drawn to our pristine wilderness, rich food culture and slower pace of life. Ultimately, we want the 'wintern' to return home with stories to tell, a fresh sense of clarity, and maybe even a newfound love for winter. '
Eat fresh oysters, drink Tasmanian wines and learn more about the terroir at Devil's Corner Cellar Door winery.
PHOTO: ADAM GIBSON
To participate, you must be a Singapore resident aged 18 or older and state, in 50 words or fewer, why you want to be Tasmania's first wintern from Singapore.
The winner will enjoy return flights, six nights' accommodation and transport, and can take along one person on the trip. They must travel between Aug 1 and 31 .
The contest runs from May 27, 5am, to June 17, 9.59pm. For more information, go to str.sg/FUvy
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