Miena Seisiun 2025

The Miena Seisiún (formerly part of the Tasmanian Highlands Gathering) will be held on Saturday Feb 22, 2025 at the Great Lake Community Centre.

Early birds can enjoy a session on the evening of Friday 21 Feb at the Great Lake Hotel. 

Saturday begins with workshops on traditional instruments followed by a group workshop on “Playing Well Together”; an afternoon concert headlined by Luke Plumb and Dave McNamara; and a bush dance in the evening.

Those staying on may enjoy an informal music and dance session at the historic Steppes Hall on Sunday.  There are toilets but not food, so BYO or fuel-up at the Great Lake General Store or Arthurs Lake Roadhouse.

Come and enjoy playing, listening to, and dancing to some of Tasmania’s best traditional Celtic musicians in the heart of Tasmania’s beautiful Central Highlands.

Detailed program: https://folktas.org/mienaseisi...

The event is organised by the Miena Seisiún Subgroup of the Folk Federation of Tasmania Inc.

Accommodation is always tight in Miena in the summer so don’t delay making arrangements. Some good options include:

• Great Lake Hotel  https://greatlakehotel.com.au/
• Central Highlands Lodge   https://centralhighlandslodge.com.au/
• Great Lake Hotel also has powered and unpowered camping sites available
• Quite a few fishing shacks are let on Airbnb when not occupied

If you are really stuck here is some advice from a local source:  “You could advise them to join the following Facebook pages and put up posts requesting accommodation: Great Lake Community Centre; and Great Lake Community Notice Board-Tasmania-Australia”

Food Advice

At the Great Lake Community Centre:

•       Tea/coffee/biscuits will be available ($5) for workshop participants until 2 pm.
•   Lunch (quiche and salad, with a veg. option) is available for $16 from 1-1:30. Bookings are essential (Kylie 0488 442 922)
•   Tea/coffee/cake will be available ($5) at the concert tea break from 3:15 pm.
•       A ticket for a supper of tea/coffee, cakes and sandwiches can be purchased for $8 on entry to the dance. Bar also available
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Options for dinner on Saturday include: Central Highlands Lodge; Great Lake Hotel; and Great Lake General Store (or self-cater).

Things to do around yingina/Great Lake

The key attraction is trout fishing (but you probably won’t have time for that).

If you need a short break from the music, why not visit the Miena Dam Lookout and the nearby John Beamont memorial (http://ontheconvicttrail.blogspot.com/2015/01/john-beamonts-memorial.html). You can do a tranquil walk along the lake shore.

A great option on Sunday will be to drop by the historic Steppes Reserve (https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/the-steppes), which lies a few kilometres south of the Steppes Hall. 

People travelling north should stop to pat the pencil pines at the Pine Lake Walk (https://parks.tas.gov.au/things-to-do/60-great-short-walks/pine-lake)