Hobart
At the southern tip of Australia, Hobart lies nestled between the slopes of Mount Wellington and the Derwent estuary. It was the second city after Sydney to be established, yet today it is the smallest of the capitals with just 210 000 people enjoying its glorious location and unhurried, easy-going lifestyle.
Impelled to set up colonies in the face of French exploration, the English established Hobart at Sullivans Cove in 1804 on land known to its Aboriginal inhabitants as Nibberloonne.
Whaling and sealing brought wealth to the town, its dockside soon dotted with taverns doing a brisk trade among seafarers and traders. Hobart’s fortunes still centre on its deep-water harbour, but these days fishing trawlers and freighters moor alongside tourist ferries, Antarctic research vessels and luxury ocean liners.
Boasting internationally recognised temperate wilderness on its doorstep, Hobart’s abundance of natural beauty propelled it to the forefront of environmental politics in 1972, becoming home to the world’s first ‘green’ political party. With a cosmopolitan literary and arts culture centred on a handful of hip galleries and cafes around the waterfront, but without the hustle and bustle of bigger cities, Hobart has turned small-city attributes to its advantage with its laid-back friendly vibe.
Visitor information
Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre
Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre
20 Davey St
(03) 6230 8233
Getting Around
Metro buses regularly service the city and suburbs at peak times and less frequently during weekends. Timetables are displayed at most bus stops and are available from the Metro shop in the Hobart Bus Terminal at the Macquarie Street end of Elizabeth Street. An all-day ticket allows you to catch any number of buses after 9am Monday to Friday, and anytime on weekends.
On the river you can order a water taxi from Watermans Dock to Bellerive, Lindisfarne, Wrest Point or the Botanical Gardens. There are also cruise boats operating from Franklin Wharf. Information is available harbourside and from the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre, (03) 6238 4222.
The 15-kilometre Inter-City Cycleway runs alongside a rail track between Hobart’s waterfront and the northern suburb of Claremont. With a paved surface and no hills, it’s popular with commuters and recreational riders alike. Bikes of all types can be hired from the Hobart end of the cycleway.
Ferries
Hobart Yellow Water Taxi 0407 036 268.
Public transport
Metro bus information line 13 2201
Airport shuttle bus
Airporter City Hotels Shuttle 1300 385 511; TenBuckBus Airporter 0419 382 240.
Motoring organisation
RACT 13 2722, roadside assistance 13 1111.
Car rental
Autorent Hertz (03) 6237 1111; Avis 13 6333 or (03) 6234 4222; Bargain Car Rentals (03) 6234 6959; Budget 13 2727 or (03) 6234 5222; Europcar 1800 030 118; Lo-cost Autorent (03) 6231 0550; Thrifty 1300 367 227.
Taxis
Australian Taxi Service 0411 286 780; Executive Taxi Service 0411 488 734; Taxi Combined Services 13 2227; United Taxis 13 1008; Yellow Cabs 13 1924.
Campervan and 4WD rental
Britz 1800 038 171; Cruisin’ Tasmania 1300 664 485; Tasmania Campers 1800 627 074; Tasmanian Campervan Hire 1800 807 119.
Bicycle hire
Derwent Bike Hire (daily weather permitting); Cenotaph, Regatta Ground 0428 899 169.
Experience
Salamanca Place
Shopping for fresh produce and crafts at Hobarts Salamanca Market
Constitution and Victoria docks
Fish and chips at Constitution Dock
Mount Wellington
A drive to the summit of Mt Wellington
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
An afternoon at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
A visit to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Trumpeter Street
A counter meal in a warm colonial-era pub
The Henry Jones Art Hotel
Having a coffee and a browse at the Henry Jones Art Hotel
Cascade Brewery
Watching beer production at Cascade Brewery
Elizabeth Street, North Hobart
Coffee and a movie at North Hobart’s independent State Cinema
City precincts
Grand Old Buildings
When Alexander McGregor made a fortune from whaling he built this rich, Italianate mansion on a cliff overlooking the cove so he could keep an eye on shipping movements. Now it’s a stylish boutique hotel. 20 Runnymede St, Battery Point.
Australia’s first synagogue and a rare example of Egyptian Revival architecture. Argyle St (between Liverpool and Bathurst sts), City.
Classical Revival design by Henry Hunter, it stands where Hobart’s founder, David Collins, pitched the fi rst tent. Macquarie St (between Elizabeth and Argyle sts), City.
Classical Revival design by Henry Hunter, it stands where Collins pitched the first tent in Hobart. Macquarie St (between Elizabeth and Argyle sts), City.
Penitentiary Chapel and Criminal Court
Underground passages, solitary cells and an execution yard. Cnr Brisbane and Campbell sts, City (see Walks & tours, p. 497).
Built from a competition-winning design in 1915, it is perhaps Hobart’s most underrated public building. Macquarie St (between Market and Campbell sts), City.
Built for an insurance company, it has an Egyptian inspired clock tower. Cnr Collins and Murray sts, City.
Hydro-Electric Commission Building
The design brief said that it should represent the new age of electricity, and its Art Deco facade suggests energy and modernity. Cnr Elizabeth and Davey sts, City.
Inter-war building with Gothic gargoyles, Moorish balconies, Art Deco chevrons and multicoloured roofi ng tiles. Cnr Elizabeth and Macquarie sts, City.
Built by two noted colonial architects – the body in 1836–38 by John Lee Archer, and the spire in 1847 by James Blackburn – this is Australia’s fi nest Classical Revival church. 28 Cromwell St, Battery Point.
Shopping
Fine craft and Tasmanian art.
Gifts, outdoor clothing and antiques.
Fashion and jewellery.
Bargain fashion and sportswear.
Fine furniture and antiques.
Antique furniture, china and art.
Stylish fashion stores.
Eastlands Shopping Centre, Rosny Park
Hobart’s largest undercover suburban mall.
Walks & Tours
Guided walks of Hobart or Battery Point with great stories of the early days, an informative tour discovering Hobart’s polar links, or a pub crawl with colourful tales thrown in. Bookings on (03) 6278 3338 or 0429 843 150.
Self-guide tour brings Hobart’s collection of Art Deco buildings to life. Brochure available from the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre.
Follow a guide into this underground rivulet to discover Hobart’s hidden history. Bookings on (03) 6238 4222 or 1800 990 440.
Combine a river cruise with delicious food and wine; take a gentle sightseeing circuit around the harbour with afternoon tea; step back into history aboard a square rigger; or cruise to Cadbury Schweppes Chocolate Factory, Moorilla Estate winery or the epicurean centre at Peppermint Bay. Catamarans and jet boats head out into Storm Bay for spectacular sightseeing and a thrilling ride. For information and timetables head to the Brooke Street Pier area in Sullivans Cove, or phone Captain Fells (03) 6223 5893, Navigators (03) 6223 1914, Peppermint Bay Cruises 1300 137 919, The Cruise Company (03) 6234 9294, Hobart Yellow Water Taxi 0407 036 268, Wild Thing Adventures (03) 6224 2021, Lady Nelson (03) 6234 3348 or Windeward Bound Sailing Adventures 0418 120 399.
Get a sea-level perspective on Hobart’s waterfront with a daytime or evening paddle around the docks. Blackaby’s Sea Kayaks 0418 124 072; Freycinet Adventures (03) 6257 0500; Roaring 40s Ocean Kayaking (03) 6267 5000.
Ghost Tours of Hobart and Battery Point
Comfy shoes and nerves of steel are needed for this sunset tour of Hobart’s spooky past. Bookings 0439 335 696.
A self-guide tour of the outer suburb of Rokeby, one of Hobart’s earliest rural districts. Brochures available at the trailhead in Hawthorn Place, Rokeby. (03) 6247 6925.
A guided tour backstage. Bookings on (03) 62332299; 11am Mon, Wed and Fri.
Penitentiary Chapel Historic Site
Grim history of gallows, cells and tunnels illustrated by lamplight if you dare. Bookings (03) 6231 0911.
Guided evening and day walks around the waterfront unveiling Hobart’s past. Bookings on (03) 6245 1208 or 0409 252 318.
Follow the bleak life of convict Louisa Ryan to the Female Factory where she was imprisoned. Bookings on (03) 6229 8959 or 0437 276 417.
Guided walks delving into the history, botany and ancient past of this intriguing mountain. Bookings 0439 551 197.
Plummet down from Mount Wellington’s 1270-metre summit to sea level on a mountain bike. Gloves and ear warmers supplied. Bookings on (03) 6228 4255 or 1800 064 726.
Sport
The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, held in December, is Hobart’s premier sporting event. Other twilight and weekend sailing events take place on the Derwent throughout the year.
A state-wide Australian Rules football league is up and running, with games played at the North Hobart Football Oval. In summer the action shifts to Bellerive Oval – Tasmania’s premier cricket ground.
Hobart has an international-standard hockey centre at New Town, and national and international games attract large crowds. In January the Domain Tennis Centre hosts the Moorilla Hobart International tennis tournament, and Hobart’s horseracing calendar is dominated by the Hobart Cup, run at Tattersall’s Park in February.
Tasmania lays claim to Australia’s very first golf course at Bothwell. Around Hobart there is a nine-hole course on the eastern shore at Rosny Park, while 18-hole courses are at Kingston Beach in the southern suburbs and Claremont In the north.
Entertainment
There are multiscreen cinemas at Glenorchy in the northern suburbs, in Bligh Street opposite Eastlands on the eastern shore and in Collins Street in the city. These are ideal for mainstream and latest-release movies. If your taste leans towards arthouse films, try the independent State Cinema in Elizabeth Street, North Hobart. See the Mercury for details of films being shown.
Day Tours
This small settlement just north of Hobart is probably Australia’s best-preserved Georgian colonial village. Highlights include the convict-built Richmond Bridge, Australia’s oldest bridge; the gaol, which predates Port Arthur; and galleries and cafes housed in historic shopfronts and cottages.
Tasman Peninsula
The stunning setting of Port Arthur – lawns, gardens, cliffs – and the beauty of its sandstone buildings belie the site’s tragic history. Other sites on the peninsula worth a look include the spectacular rock formations and blow holes around Eaglehawk Neck.
Derwent Valley
The Derwent Valley, with its neat agricultural landscape and historic buildings, forms one of the loveliest rural areas of Australia, reminiscent of England. Visit the trout hatchery of Salmon Ponds, the National Trust–classifi ed New Norfolk, and the hop museum at Oast House.
The beauty and intricacy of Tasmania’s south-eastern coastline can be experienced on a leisurely drive south from Hobart. There are stunning water views, particularly at Tinderbox (via Kingston), and Verona Sands at the Huon River entrance. At Kettering, a car ferry goes to remote Bruny Island.
The Huon Valley is the centre of a growing gourmet food industry. The signposted Huon Trail follows the valley between rows of apple trees, with a backdrop of forested mountains. In the far south, at Hastings, visitors can tour a dolomite cave and swim in a thermal pool.
Eco-friendly activities
This innovative company offers guided and self-guided cycling tours, ranging from three-hour jaunts in and around Hobart, to three-week expeditions on the west coast. There are trips to combine cycling and hiking, and private family-friendly cycling holidays with special activities for children along the way. The same company runs Under Down Under Tours.
Two operators will take you on a two-hour kayak tour from Hobart – mornings, afternoons or sunset – around the historic waterfront. No experience is necessary. Freycinet Adventures is based in Coles Bay on the east coast but bookings for their ‘Hobart paddle’ can be made online or by phone.
You can quite easily pick up a map and explore Hobart’s wilderness playground on your own but, for initiates, the maze of tracks may be best travelled with a guide who will show you bushfoods and wildlife, teach you about the geology and history of the area, and provide great food along the way. Mount Wellington Walks runs a Greenfleet bus and offers a few different walks, including a gentle or a more adventurous half-day option. Do not miss the view from the 1270-metre summit, which sometimes has a covering of snow.
With so much excellent fresh produce in Tasmania, you should consider picking up some local organic fruits and vegetables and cooking up your own feast. Try the famous Salamanca Market (Saturday 8.30am–3pm) or City Organics in Criterion Street.
This eco-accredited Hobart-based tour company offers guided tours of one to nine days for low-budget travellers, with a focus on discovering Tasmania’s fragile environment. You can choose from walking, cycling (the same company runs Island Cycle Tours, see above), kayaking or bus tours to all parts of Tasmania. Overnight accommodation is usually in hostels.
Cafes & restaurants around town
Serving up an unbeatable combination of gourmet lunches, delectable pastries and very good coffee, this vibrant bakery cafe tucked in among Battery Point’s historic cottages is fast becoming a Hobart destination in... Find out more
Lebrina 3 km
In its 1836 apricot-brick cottage in sleepy New Town, away from Hobart’s best-known eat streets, Lebrina is a surprise and a standout. Awarded two stars in 2009 by Gourmet Traveller, it keeps company with... Find out moreA table on the Salamanca footpath, with historic sandstone walls behind and the dockside vista spread before you, is a pretty nice spot to be. Add very good coffee with a slice of tangy lemon cheesecake and it can’t be... Find out more
Marque IV is a special-occasion venue. The vibe is smart and chic, with a clientele of well-dressed couples and well-heeled business people at white-linen-clad tables in this contemporary dining room, tended by... Find out more
Happily, this Chinese restaurant has broken Hobart’s yum cha drought and finally brought this cheerful weekend brunch/lunch tradition to the city. Selecting from the passing trolleys is all part of the fun, and under... Find out more
The name of this restaurant means ‘many little plates’, inviting diners to graze a number of dishes. With such a mouth-watering array of seafood and meats seared to perfection over white-hot charcoal, either... Find out more
This intimate restaurant in Battery Point serves a regularly changing menu of modern European food amid a welcoming homely clutter of bookshelves and lovely open fires. Dishes are skilful, high-quality makeovers of... Find out more
Perched above the sights, sounds and smells of the docks, this is the perfect place to dine on Hobart’s best-known à la carte seafood. Their blue-eye trevalla – sustainably harvested from the Southern... Find out more
This unpretentious restaurant in a tiny Battery Point cottage has leapt to the forefront of the Hobart foodie scene in its very first year, and is regarded by many – including Gourmet Traveller – as one of Tasmania’s... Find out more
This iconic 17th-storey revolving restaurant specialises in exquisitely detailed, inventive dishes. There’s little chance the 360-degree views – spectacular as they are – will outclass this fantastic food. Among... Find out more
Twenty years of excellence have won Prossers on the Beach a loyal clientele and a reputation as the best seafood restaurant in Tasmania. Chef Stuart Prosser brings his passion for the sea to the table with a... Find out more
This hip cafe with a 1970s vibe opens early for breakfast and doesn’t shut its doors until late most nights. They’ll rustle up eggs Benedict, Florentine, royale or even in a Caesar salad for breakfast, while for lunch... Find out more
If you can get a table at Hobart’s busiest Italian restaurant you can afford a smug grin. Bustling cheery ambience, smiling attentive service, homemade gnocchi and Angelo and Marco’s excellent fresh, simple sauces make... Find out more
Sirens is an aromatic oasis of political and culinary pacifism serving creative, intricate and surprisingly good vegetarian cuisine. Recline at a low table or in a harem-like curtained enclosure and revel in their... Find out more
Smolt 1 km
Although the name means ‘baby salmon’, Smolt offers a wide range of dishes with Mediterranean flavours befitting its piazza outlook and hip modern interior. The space is large, with floor-to-ceiling windows... Find out moreOccupying a busy corner in North Hobart’s lively restaurant strip, this bustling, cheerful eatery will warm you up on the chilliest Hobart night. Friendly waiters, a better-than-usual menu and a colourful, aromatic... Find out more
This dockside seafood restaurant is crammed with nautical memorabilia, enclosing diners in cosy nooks surrounded by bits and pieces mounted on the walls and dangling from the ceiling. The maritime clutter is... Find out more
Lacking the usual red and gold trimmings, this dockside restaurant doesn’t look very Chinese but the menu will have you convinced you’re in the right place for an authentic Asian meal. Golden Harbour focuses on a few... Find out more
The Source Restaurant
Set among Moorilla Estate’s riverside vines, The Source Restaurant is a celebration of nature’s bounty. Entry to this contemporary, glass-walled restaurant is dramatic, whether you arrive by road or river, as the... Find out moreNearby breweries
Cascade Brewery 3 km
It’s impossible not to wax lyrical about the Cascade Brewery. It is the oldest working brewery in the country, one of the quaintest-looking industrial buildings and it’s located in the most picturesque of... Find out moreMoo Brew 10 km
With its striking, glass and steel brewhouse perched high above the Derwent River, Moo Brew is probably the best-appointed microbrewery in the land. It’s also part of Moorilla Estate, situated on the outskirts of... Find out moreTwo Metre Tall Company 35 km
Ashley Huntington actually is 2 metres tall – probably taller if you include his mop of curly hair – and his generous height is also the name for the craftbrewing enterprise he runs from the Derwent... Find out moreBoag's (J.Boag & Son) 162 km
With several different owners over the past 100 years, J. Boag and Son typifies the sometimes turbulent history of Australian brewing and the minor miracle of surviving at all into the 21st century. Scotsman James Boag... Find out moreIron House Brewery 166 km
When White Sands Resort came on the market a few years ago it proved too tempting for Devonport businessman John White, who already runs several companies bearing his surname. Rebranded as White Sands Estate, the... Find out moreWineglass Bay Brewing 122 km
Craft brewing has been a passionate sideline for Freycinet winemaker Claudio Radenti and partner Lindy Bull for more than a decade. Hazards Ale was originally brewed at the St Ives brew-pub in Hobart; currently... Find out moreTaverners Boutique Brewery 162 km
Beekeeper-cum-business entrepreneur Lindsay Bourke brews Taverners mead ales and runs his broad business interests from a former maternity hospital in Launceston. Where babies were once brought into the world,... Find out moreSeven Sheds 187 km
A combined microbrewery, meadery and hop garden, Seven Sheds was opened in May 2008 by this book’s author and his partner Catherine Stark on their property in north-west Tasmania. All ales are brewed in... Find out moreHotels, motels & B&Bs around town
From the street, this imposing mansion exudes style and luxury. It was built in 1880 and today offers award-winning hosted accommodation with all the heritage style you’d expect in a National Trust–listed property. The... Find out more
This 1880s mansion and its cottages are in one of Hobart’s most charming hillside suburbs. Choose from the convict-built Servant’s Quarters, with its hand-sawn floorboards and claw-foot bath; the Coach House, which was... Find out more
This 1885 Victorian mansion’s splendid facade faces across Sandy Bay Road to historic Battery Point, and it is only a short walk to Salamanca Place or through leafy parks to the city centre. Gattonside’s majestically... Find out more
Built by convict labour in 1834, Hadleys Hotel is a Hobart icon operating as a fine hotel in the city’s CBD. It is now a beautifully refurbished National Trust–listed building with lovingly appointed rooms packed with... Find out more
The Hotel Grand Chancellor, just a few steps from the waterfront, is hard to miss as it dominates its corner of Hobart’s wharfside precinct. All of its rooms have ensuites, king or two double beds, and feature... Find out more
Islington Hotel 2 km
Gorgeous gardens, a stunningly beautiful modern glass conservatory and a staff butler are just a few of the features that make the Islington the most glamorous hotel in Hobart. Upon entering this Regency mansion, you are... Find out moreLenna was built in the heart of Sullivans Cove in 1874 and is one of Hobart’s finest National Trust–classified colonial homes. It is now a modern hotel with first-class service, and an additional wing featuring a range... Find out more
This elegant Georgian mansion is one of Australia’s oldest buildings, convict-built in 1829 for Tasmania’s first auctioneer. For 170 years The Lodge on Elizabeth was inhabited by several prominent families, including a... Find out more
Mantra One is just a short stroll from the centre of the city and a two-minute walk through postcard-pretty St David’s Park to Salamanca Place and the shops, bars, restaurants and galleries of Hobart’s waterfront. With... Find out more
This 360-room apartment hotel is an award-winning redevelopment of an early 20th-century wool and grain store, and some parts are National Trust–listed. Its stylish modern suites range from comfortable hotel rooms... Find out more
Just off Hobart’s iconic Salamanca Place, this modern 60-room hotel is surrounded by parks, cafes, galleries and restaurants, as well as craft, antique, furniture and clothing shops – in other words, it’s a shopper’s... Find out more
The Hobart waterfront draws visitors like a magnet and a stay at Somerset on the Pier serviced apartments puts you in an unbeatable location. The 1930s pier building has had an award-winning makeover and is now the... Find out more
Hobart’s Wrest Point tower is one of the city’s most famous landmarks and home to Australia’s first casino. The tower rooms are stunning, with views over the Derwent Estuary, the city or Mount... Find out more
Facing Victoria Dock, this multi-award-winning hotel complex brings modern designer style to what was once the IXL jam factory. Among sandstone walls and wooden beams there are rich fabrics, ottomans, frosted glass and... Find out more
This groovy apartment complex offers fabulous luxury, hip contemporary design and cool modern decor. The stunning penthouse apartments fitted out with overflow spas, massive walk-in robes, a mini-theatre and baby grand... Find out more
Moorilla Estate
Among Tasmania’s oldest vines, Moorilla Estate’s four stylish, self-contained pavilions offer cosmopolitan comforts and rare luxury. Designed with privacy in mind, each steel-framed unit has its own cantilevered... Find out moreOrana House was built in 1909 and is now a heritage-listed B&B on half a hectare of gorgeous gardens. On the Derwent’s eastern shore, just a few minutes from Hobart across the Tasman Bridge, it looks out across the... Find out more
Popular events around town
Hobart grooves with two weeks of eclectic jazz, rock, hip-hop and indie music. January.... Find out more
A family regatta and fireworks display since 1838. February.... Find out more
Australian Wooden Boat Festival
Biennial dockside celebration of maritime history. February (odd-numbered years).... Find out moreInternational island culture comes to Tasmania. March–April (odd-numbered years).... Find out more
State-wide classic car rally. April–May.... Find out more
Antarctic Tasmania Midwinter Festival
Celebrating all things cold at the winter solstice. June.... Find out moreFor four days winter is warmed by singers and choirs from all over Australia gathering to sing their hearts out. July.... Find out more
Royal Hobart Show
Four days of competitions and displays bringing country life to town. October.... Find out moreSydney to Hobart and Melbourne to Hobart yacht races
Gruelling races end with a dockside party, and a crowd of people to welcome the yachts no matter what time of the day or night. December.... Find out moreHobart sparkles with fun activities and waterfront gourmet indulgence. December–January. ... Find out more
