Sex, Death & Rock'n'Roll: Your Official Mona Foma Cheat Sheet

When eccentric card shark and art fanatic David Walsh upscaled the hobbit hole, burrowing into the hard rock below Moorilla Estate’s winery to create the astounding sex, death and rock'n'roll temple that is the world-renowned Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania’s capital city Hobart was forever transformed.

A huge boon to both the economic and cultural fabric of Australia’s southernmost hub, it’s also the largest privately funded institution of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Walsh is rightly seen as something of a local hero, even if, or perhaps because of, the occasional hullabaloo caused by poo machines or inverted crosses.

And he’s not done sharing the love. Summer festival Mona Foma (or MOFO for short) is packing its bags and heading north this month after a baby-sized version thrilled the city last year, with a little help from a tidy $1.75 million cash injection from the Tassie government.

Whether you’re a local intrigued to find out what’s a’coming your way or an interstate/international inveigler, here’s our guide to the old and new art order.

MOFO must-dos

Machine 9

If you love space, Brits and weird electronic music, then this is the aural art experience for you. Sound designer and composer Nick Ryan collaborated with a bunch of boffins to create this whatchamacallit that monitors the orbit of 27,000 bits of space junk and somehow transforms that data into heavenly music that will haunt the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery. Plus, they have a thylacine exhibition there. 

Art Of The Body: Health, Beauty, And Desire

A very on-brand MONA experience, the University of Tasmania has broken open its weirdest and most wonderful medical oddities from the museum vaults and challenged a plethora of out-there artists from sculptor CJ Edwards to body painter Joanna Gair to respond to them in their own unique way.

Onesie World 2.0

Summer isn’t exactly prime onesie time, but that won’t stop Aussie performance artist and nifty designer Adele Varcoe from recruiting an army of devotees to the cotton all-over cause. She got over 1000 folks to don the all-in-one wear at the mini-MOFO tryout this year and is aiming for almost double that this time 'round, with the aid of Finnish fashionistas Self-Assembly.

Cinemofo

Sometimes you just need to kick back in a dark room with perfect strangers and open your mind wide. Not to be confused with the Minneapolis-horrormeisters, this is actually a cool, curated film festival that includes the mesmerising Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda, Stephen Nomura Schible’s doco celebrating the Oscar-winning Japanese composer, dancer, artist and activist. 

Faux Mo

As tight-lipped as a new Star Wars movie, even when the line-up for this warehouse-style rave drops, there’s no telling exactly what’s in store for the crowd assembling for the far-out floorshow at city haunt Dicky White’s Lane. Just know that you need to be there. 

Rest your head

Pepper Seaport Hotel

Built on an old dry dock, sail into some of the best river views in Launceston with this nautically inspired hideaway surrounded by great restaurants. Plus it’s no impossible voyage, only a quick cruise on foot into the maelstrom of the MOFO action.

Hotel Grand Chancellor

Slap bang in the heart of the CBD, swish rooms await behind the Georgian-style red awning facade and beyond the trickling water feature foyer. Cashing in here means you’ll be right in the thick of it.

Arthouse Backpacker Hotel

On a budget? No problem. This Addams Family kooky-looking, heritage-listed hostel is far from scary. Perched on the North Esk River since 1888 and recently given a fancy reno, it’s a short stroll into the mix.

BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park

Another affordable option is to rock up to this campsite near the gorgeous Cataract Gorge. And don’t panic if you’re not all that into the elements, you don’t even need to pitch a tent. Just book one of their cute lil' cabins.

Tamar Valley Resort, Grindelwald 

No, it’s not the evil lair of bad mojo Johnny Depp’s Fantastic Beasts villain. Instead it’s a stunning Swiss chalet-style escape with a golf course located in wine country. If you don’t mind the trek, it’s only a 15-minute drive into town and worth it for the peace and quiet.

While you’re there

Cataract Gorge Reserve

Explore this leafy paradise via the world's longest single span chairlift and breathtaking suspension bridges. Utterly stunning, it feels like it’s a million miles away from everywhere, even though it’s actually just on the outskirts of the city. Take a picnic, have a dip in the pool and chase peacocks, plus MOFO are laying on morning yoga sessions. 

National Automobile Museum

Rev heads should hoon full throttle towards this vintage car paradise that houses one of the country’s finest collections, from homegrown heroes to flash international stars, spanning over 100 years of wheely good history.

Saint John Craft Beer Bar

Not to be confused with St John’s Anglican Church a block away, this divine watering hole is all about bowing down to the great gods of craft beer, with 14 on tap and over 170 bottles ready for worship. 

Stillwater

If you’re feeling a bit dusty mid-fest, treat yourself to a mighty fine feed at one of Launceston’s best restaurants. Dating back to the 1830s and showing off chunky wooden beams and gnarled floorboards, the setting is almost as spiffy as the salivation-inspiring menu that includes the likes of Mount Gnomon pork belly and Tassie blacklip abalone. 

City Park Money Enclosure

Who doesn’t love monkeys? Assuming you’re in the 99% camp that do, why not visit the Japanese Macaques that call this dear green spot in the midst of the city home?