Federal funding pledge for Fire and Light festival at Mt Roland

A FESTIVAL to celebrate winter in northern Tasmania and encourage tourists who come to experience Dark Mofo to stay in the state for longer is a step closer to reality.

Kentish Arts, Commerce and Tourism president Des Brown is planning to run laser projections onto Mount Roland as part of the proposed Fire & Lights festival.

A FESTIVAL to celebrate winter in northern Tasmania and encourage tourists who come to experience Dark Mofo to stay in the state for longer is a step closer to reality.

Tourism Minister and Tasmanian Senator Richard Colbeck has promised funding for a Fire and Light Festival trial as part of series of commitments ahead of the July 2 poll.

If it comes off, the $40,000 pledge will allow the Mt Roland Fire and Light Project to plan a trial festival over five days.

The festival will include a laser show using the largest machines in Australia to transform a 3.3km by 1.2km wide rock face of Mt Roland into a giant screen to display animations accompanied by soundtracks.

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The logo of the Mt Roland Fire and Light festival. Image: DES BROWN

The festival is the brainchild of Kentish Arts Commerce and Tourism.

In October last year, the group launched a crowd-funding campaign to bring the lights across Bass Strait for a trial run.

The event has the support of the Cradle Coast Authority, Kentish Council and Events Tasmania, and already the team behind Dark Mofo has given the concept the thumbs up.

Des Brown, from Mt Roland Fire and Light, welcomed the Federal Government’s support of the event and have called on the Tasmanian Government to match the funding commitment of their Federal counterparts.