Organisers of the Museum of Old and New Art's (Mofo) Dark Mofo Winter Festival canceled on Tuesday the early morning nude swim into the Derwent because of the objection of the Tasmania Police.

The signature event would go against a number of state laws relating to offensive behavior and indecent exposure, the police explained, despite Tasmania Police Minister David O'Byrne himself asking the state police and Hobart City Council to allow the winter solstice traditional skinny dip.

"If a complaint was received then we would have to act, and that's not a positive outcome for an arts event," The Examiner quoted Inspector Glen Woolley.

Leigh Carmichael, creative director of Dark Mofo, yielded to the law, although he said he is disappointed.

"While it was a bit of fun, as soon as you start seeing the word 'arrest' coming through on the email, the fun disappears pretty quickly," he told ABC.

Because of the directive, the organisers removed the event last week from its programme even if about 200 people had registered for the skinny dip originally scheduled at Nutgrove Beach on Sandy Bay on June 22.

However, the Hobart City Council suggested the Derwent as an alterative venue because it is away from houses. But the Tasmania Police still thumbed down the alternate venue proposal.

Had the event pushed through, the participants would have been body painted and Surf Lifesaving Australia would be on hand to ensure the safety of the nude swimmers. After swimming 50 metres, the participants would be handed blankets to warm them.

Nude swims have been held in other beaches such as the BW Skinny Dip which even broke Guinness World Records as total participants reached 504 skinny dippers.

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