Visit Hobart

Between the Derwent estuary and the 1,271 metres of kunanyi, Hobart keeps its sandstone warehouses, colonial cottages and a lively Saturday market. MONA has made the city a cultural destination, and the convict past of Port Arthur is an hour and a half away by road.

Why visit Hobart?

Founded in 1804, Hobart is Australia's second-oldest state capital and the gateway to southern Tasmania. It combines a compact historic centre, the MONA art museum and a summit of over 1,200 metres just 30 minutes from the harbour. Port Arthur and the UNESCO-listed convict sites are within day-trip range.

Top things to do in Hobart

Museums, markets, a summit and convict history: what not to miss in Hobart and the surrounding area.

MONA

A private museum carved into the cliff beside the Derwent, opened in 2011, mixing antiquities with often provocative contemporary art. Allow half a day.

Salamanca Market

Every Saturday from 8.30 am to 3 pm, more than two hundred stalls of growers, makers and cooks set up in front of the sandstone warehouses of Salamanca Place.

Port Arthur Historic Site

A former penal settlement founded in 1830, with a ruined penitentiary, church, officers' houses and the Isle of the Dead, listed as UNESCO World Heritage.

kunanyi summit

Viewing platforms at 1,271 metres look over Hobart, the Derwent estuary and, on clear days, much of the south of the island.

Cascades Female Factory

Remains of the institution where transported women were held, in South Hobart, one of the UNESCO-listed convict sites, with tours and dramatised storytelling.

Cascade Brewery

Founded in 1824 at the foot of kunanyi, it is Australia's oldest operating brewery, with guided tours and gardens to explore.

Richmond Bridge

Completed in 1823 by convicts, it is the oldest stone bridge still in use in Australia, spanning the Coal River in the heart of the village.

Bruny Island Neck

A sandy isthmus joining the two halves of the island, with steps up to a lookout and, at dusk, little penguins returning to shore.

What to see in Hobart and southern Tasmania?

Sullivans Cove and the harbour

Hobart's harbour is still a working port, used by fishing boats, ferries and Antarctic supply ships. Around Sullivans Cove, sandstone warehouses from the 1830s house galleries, restaurants and workshops. This is where the Sydney to Hobart yacht race finishes in late December. Ferries to MONA leave from Brooke Street Pier. The city is about a 1 hour 15 minute flight from Melbourne, making it an easy two or three day add-on to a trip in the south-east.

Battery Point and North Hobart

Ten minutes' walk from the harbour, Battery Point takes its name from a gun battery built in 1818. The neighbourhood has kept its sailors' cottages, sloping lanes and the circular Arthur Circus, an easy one-hour stroll. North Hobart, 20 minutes' walk from the centre, gathers a long strip of restaurants, bars and an independent cinema along Elizabeth Street. It is the liveliest area in the evening, when the centre empties after 6 pm.

The mountain above the city

kunanyi, or Mount Wellington, rises to 1,271 metres and towers over the whole city. A 22 km road reaches the summit in 30 to 40 minutes, except when snow or ice close it, which can happen even in summer. Shuttles run up from the centre. Walkers start from Fern Tree for two to four hour loops beneath the dolerite columns of the Organ Pipes. Always bring a warm jacket: it is often ten degrees colder at the top than down at the harbour.

Up the Derwent and the Coal River Valley

Heading upriver, Berriedale is home to MONA, 25 minutes by ferry from the centre, before the suburbs give way to vineyards. The Coal River Valley, 25 minutes' drive to the north-east, is lined with wineries known for pinot noir and chardonnay. At its heart, the village of Richmond has kept its gaol, Georgian houses and a stone bridge completed in 1823. Half a day is enough for Richmond, a full day if you add a wine tasting.

The Tasman Peninsula and the convict past

About 95 km and 1.5 hours by road, the Tasman Peninsula is home to Port Arthur, one of eleven convict sites listed together by UNESCO in 2010 to tell the story of transportation to Australia. Your ticket covers two days on site. The drive passes Eaglehawk Neck, the Tessellated Pavement and the sea cliffs of Tasman National Park, among the highest in Australia. Leave early: a full day is needed to see everything without rushing.

The D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the Huon Valley

South of Hobart, the road reaches Kettering in 35 minutes, where a ferry crosses the D'Entrecasteaux Channel to Bruny Island in about twenty minutes. The island is explored by car in a day, between beaches, a cheesery, oysters and southern cliffs. Further west, the Huon Valley, cradle of Tasmanian apple growing, leads towards the forests of the south-west. On summer weekends the ferry queue grows long, so catch one of the first departures.

Frequently asked questions about Hobart

How long do you need to visit MONA?
Allow at least three to four hours on site, plus the return ferry from Brooke Street Pier. Contemporary art lovers easily spend the whole day there, between the underground galleries, the restaurant and the neighbouring winery.
Can you do Port Arthur as a day trip from Hobart?
Yes, it is the classic excursion: 1.5 hours by road, half a day on site including the cruise to the Isle of the Dead, and stops at the Tessellated Pavement and Eaglehawk Neck. Those wanting the evening ghost tour stay overnight nearby.
Can you get up kunanyi without a car?
Yes, a sightseeing shuttle runs to the summit from central Hobart. Public buses go as far as Fern Tree, at the foot of the mountain, where trails climb to the top in three to four hours of steady walking.
Is Hobart cold in summer?
Summer days often reach 20 to 23 °C, but wind and cold fronts from the south can drop temperatures within a few hours. Keep a warm layer and a windproof jacket handy, even in January.
How does the Bruny Island ferry work?
The ferry leaves from Kettering, 35 minutes south of Hobart, and crosses in about twenty minutes with your car. Departures are frequent, but queues grow on summer weekends and during holidays, so set off early in the morning.
Should you fly or take the Spirit of Tasmania from Melbourne?
Flights link Melbourne and Hobart in about 1 hour 15 minutes, ideal for a short stay. The Spirit of Tasmania lets you bring your car but arrives at Devonport in the north, 3.5 hours by road. It suits a full tour of the island.
Can you see the aurora australis from Hobart?
Yes, during periods of strong solar activity, especially on the long nights from March to September. Head away from city lights, to the beaches south of town or up kunanyi if the road is open, and follow online alerts.
Which festivals liven up Hobart during the year?
In late December, the finish of the Sydney to Hobart race and the Taste of Tasmania food festival fill the waterfront. In June, MONA runs the Dark Mofo winter festival around the solstice: check each year's programme, as it changes between editions.

Plan your trip to Hobart

Build your day-by-day itinerary and manage budget, bookings and packing in PlanTripNow.
Aperçu de l'application PlanTripNow