Hundreds of swimmers have stripped down to their birthday suits to bathe in the chilly waters of Tasmania state in Australia, plunging naked into Hobart’s Derwent river to mark the winter solstice.

Although much of Europe remains in the clutches of a heatwave, down under Australians are preparing for the long winter.

Turn the other cheek: another #DarkMofo Nude Solstice Swim done and dusted. Image: LUSYproductions</a> <a href="https://t.co/RoMIlKbd49">pic.twitter.com/RoMIlKbd49</a></p>— Dark Mofo (Dark_Mofo) June 20, 2017

The nude swim is part of the annual Dark Mofo festival and drew about 1020 swimmers – a huge turnout that caught organisers off guard, leaving many skinny dippers without supplied towels.

The temperature on the beach was around 4 degrees Celsius at dawn, but the temperature of the water was a balmier 14 degrees.