Tasmania will pay for you to visit and complete a 'Winternship' - Travel

May 27, 2025

Skills required: adaptable to the cold.

Brrr. Is the winter chill getting to you already? Instead of running from it, why not embrace it? Tourism Tasmania reckons it can turn anyone into a winter lover with its ‘Winternships’, and applications are officially open.

Ten lucky Australians will have the chance to undertake a Tassie internship experience designed to help them become winter people. From being a ‘calf concierge’ to defrosting chairlifts as a ‘scenic seat-warmer’, or uncovering bold winter flavours as a ‘tunnel to table taster’, each Winternship will equip participants with the skills to become a winter person by learning from Tasmania’s very own winter experts.

If you are one of the 10 Aussies selected to complete a Winternship, Tourism Tasmania will cover your travel costs and provide you with a local expert guide to accompany you on your journey to becoming a winter person. You’ll also receive a selection of Tassie’s best seasonal produce and goods, handpicked by your hosts.

Keen to get cold? Applications are open from now until 11.59 AEST June 17. You can apply via Discover Tasmania website. To be in the running to become a Wintern, applicants must complete a short submission, explaining in 50 words or less why they want to become a winter person with a Winternship in Tasmania.

Here are all the Winternships up for grabs:

Barrel Butler at McHenry Distillery in Port Arthur
Calf Concierge at Borradale Stanley in Stanley
Devil Sitter at Devils@Cradle in Cradle Mountain
Fragrance Forager at Undersong Perfumery in Bicheno
Goat Doofer at Hideaway Farmlet at Penguin
Sauna Skipper at Kuuma Nature Sauna in Barretta
Scenic Seat-Warmer at Gorge Scenic Chairlift in Launceston
Splinter Specialist at Huon Pine Shop and Gallery and Creative Paper Tasmania in Strahan and Wynyard
Trail Trialler at Blue Derby Pods Ride in Derby
Tunnel to Table Taster at Tunnel Hill Mushrooms in Rumney

To offer Aussies an insider view of what they will learn as a Wintern, Australian comedian, writer and actor Celia Pacquola travelled to Tasmania to road-test the Winternships.

“Winter usually involves a bit of a hibernation, but Tasmania goes off in the off season,” Pacquola said. “Who knew Tasmanian devils needed babysitting? It’s just a little different to babysitting the neighbours’ kids as a teenager; less chicken nuggets, more crushed bones.

“Hot tip for the Sauna Skipper Wintern – the water may be cold, but that plunge into the ocean is the best way to start the day. Not only do you feel physically amazing but the smugness that comes with telling people you went on a boat sauna?! Priceless. Tasmania’s winter is like no other, and I’m now officially a winter person.”

For more information or to apply for your dream Winternship, visit discovertasmania.com.au/winternships