We had a comparatively quiet day today with one of our foursome still not well. Had a bit of a sleep-in and then headed off away from the Tasman Peninsula towards the big smoke- Hobart.

Once again passed beautiful panoramic scenery as we drove- it seems that everywhere in Tasmania has it in some variation.

Stopped on the way at the tessellated pavement at Eaglehawk Neck- a natural wonder that looks man-made and has to be seen to be believed. An inter-tidal rock platform where an unusual form of geological circumstances has resulted in a rare landform… much too complicated for me to understand or explain but it has something to do with salt crystals. Anyway, low tide exposes the geometric lines and angles of this bizarre rock formation- and it’s pretty cool. I would have loved to be here for sunrise or sunset as photos I have seen look stunning and is a photographers paradise. We have been so blessed with the weather so far but we knew it couldn’t last and the rain started to fall.

We continued on to Hobart and the girls dropped me off at Brooke St Wharf to go to MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)- something that I had been looking forward to but was of no interest to the others. A partly subterranean, privately owned museum that has been bankrolled by an eccentric local gambler: What’s not to love? Sounds intriguing at the very least… time to get weird and embrace the eccentric (poo machine anyone? Or how about the remains of a suicide bomber cast in chocolate. 😆)!

Accessed by a quirky ferry from Hobart and located within a winery, the eccentric, thought-provoking, envelope-pushing Museum of Old and New Art has some of the most outrageous, bizarre, interesting, artistically challenging, confronting and very adult art in Australia (works that please, confound and confront). But pushing the boundaries and poking a tongue out at the conventional art establishment is something creator David Walsh does not shy away from.

Once I arrived at MONA’s jetty, and climbed the 99 steps to the entrance, I resisted the temptation to enter straight away and instead spent time exploring the huge grounds with their quirky and magnificent sculptures, creative landscaping and architectural hardscaping… all with a spectacular view over the river to Mt Wellington.

The architecture and design of this massive building and precinct is mind-boggling and unconventional as it is predominantly underground. MONA is built into the landscape, tunneling down through the Triassic sandstone to create three subterranean levels. It is an artwork in itself so even if you’re not into art it is worth visiting for the architecture alone. It really is amazing!

MONA is set out as a maze of rooms, corridors, tunnels and open spaces. Unlike traditional museums there are no brightly lit rooms with art hanging on stark white walls; instead, there is interesting lighting that creates atmosphere. There are also no artwork labels as all info is provided by the museum’s phone app called The O.

This unique and provocative art collection definitely leaves an impression as you explore the three floors of subterranean architecture, art pieces and exhibits and is as much a sensory and interactive experience as it is a visual one. It is sure to shock, intrigue and even offend- and it is meant to. Its worth thinking about this quote by Cesar Cruz- “Art should comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable”

I loved the Ladies Lounge. This is a women’s only space, without signage or fanfare on the exterior, but identifiable by expansive green velvet drapes and a female attendant ‘manning’ the entry. What you find inside apparently constantly changes. There was a male musician playing the saxophone… blind-folded- interesting touch.

There is a wall dedicated to vagina in MONA. The wall showcases sculptures of different shapes and sizes of vagina with an important message of inclusivity and diversity. I actually love this.

Loved a lot of pieces. Disliked or was kind of offended by a few. Indifferent to some. Some were funny. And many just downright weird! But generally loved the experience which finished after sitting outdoors in a hot pink bean bag sipping local bubbles and listening to some awesome and unusual live music

The girls were also enjoying a wine or two, keeping out of the rain back home at our beautiful new BnB- a cottage in the grounds of a stately Victorian hilltop villa set in majestic period gardens- The Carinda Collection.