Great Stuff in Hobart

Hobart is a delightful place to visit, quite unlike any other city in Australia. Straddling the Derwent River and backed by Mount Wellington, it combines the benefits of a modern city with a rich heritage and a serene natural beauty. It is a city that needs time.

Shop in the city centre, at the renowned Salamanca Market on Saturdays, or at one of the large malls. Salamanca Place has a myriad of quality galleries and craft shops showcasing the work of Tasmanian artists.

Visit the Tasmania Distillary for a wide range of food and spirits. Sample one of the country’s finest beers and watch it being produced in Australia’s oldest brewery. Check out Hobart’s famous Cadbury Chocolate Factory or try fudge at the fudge factory, Island Produce.

Quick Tips:

You need to walk the streets around the waterfront and at Battery Point. Take time to explore the Tasmanian museum and art gallery and the many stately buildings in the central city. Wander in the botanical gardens and lunch in the restaurant.

Plan to spend Saturday morning in Hobart. The Salamanca Market is considered to be Australia’s best so don’t miss the fun and action.

In summer (December to February), Hobart has a colourful eight weeks of fun and excitement, food and wine, art and music and sails and sunshine at the Hobart Summer Festival. During this time there is a 7-day Taste of Tasmania happening.

Best Way To Get Around:

Central Hobart is a great place to walk. This is the only way to explore the waterfront, City Mall and Salamanca Place. It’s also a good way to see Battery Point. There are organised walking tours through these areas to make it easier for you.

Hobart has a good bus system that will take you further afield. Buses serve the botanical gardens, Sandy Bay and points of interest in North, West and South Hobart. They also run to the Mt Nelson Signal Station. You can buy anday ticket which can be used at ant time on weekends or off-peak during the week.

Taxis are readily available. There are several companies offering a similar service.

There are some ferry services and cruises on the river.

Visitors to Hobart can enjoy the sights, sounds, flavours and colour of Australia’s most well-known outdoor market, every Saturday from 8.30am to 3pm. The famous market draws thousands of people for the food, the music, and the fun.

We went for breakfast and for bargains. Breakfast options were scrambled eggs and orange juice at a bistro, Asian food at our well-loved Vietnamese restaurant, warm coffee and croissants at one of the stalls, hot baked potatoes with delicious fillings, or a range of tempting delights gathered from individual stall holders.

We strolled up and down Salamanca Place listing to the buskers – singing the blues, stroking a harp, tapping the bongos or strumming a folk tune. We stopped at stalls meeting friendly people who grow or make what they sell. there were some fine local crafts – hand-worked glass, innovative designs in Tasmanian timbers, stylish clothing, bold ceramics. There were antiques, collectibles, books, curios and trash. There were certainly some bargains but some treasures looked somewhat tatty. We picked up a couple of timber pieces, some aroma oil, and a scarf.

Salamanca Place is a delightful setting. The market is set between graceful plane trees and the mellow facades of historic warehouses. The stalls are colourful and the people even more so. We planned to picnic at lunchtime so were delighted to find the Asian fresh food market with its crisp organic vegetables and fresh fruit. We bought a lettuce, tomatoes, Chinese vegetables and a selection of fruit for a few dollars.

The market is on the fringe of the central city area. Shops here are open all day Saturday so you can continue your shopping spree in Elizabeth Mall. Alternatively, climb Kelly’s Steps to reach the Georgian cottages and the village atmosphere of Battery Point.

Downtown Hobart is the best place in Tasmania to shop. There is a fine blend of pavement, arcade and mall shopping. There are large department stores (such as Myer) and boutique shops. The centre of the action is Elizabeth Mall, a pedestrian precinct developed from Elizabeth Street. This is where I recommend you start your looking. If you’re not sure where to find a certain store or want additional information about shopping, an information booth is located here.

There are three further areas you need to explore. The Cat and Fiddle Arcade runs from Elizabeth Mall to Murray Street. Directly across from this exit is another large arcade called Centrepoint. A branch of the arcade runs through to Collins Street where Trafalgar Centre provides plenty of options for dedicated shoppers. Perhaps one of the most interesting shops here is Hempen Things where hemp products grown and made in Tasmania are available. The Tasmania Shop in Liverpool Street has a range of crafts in wood, ceramic, bronze, wines and fine foods. Normal trading hours in the city are 9am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday.

Other areas worth exploring are Salamanca Place, Battery Point and Sandy Bay. Salamanca place has a myriad of quality galleries and craft shops showcasing the works of many of Tasmania’s best artists and craftspeople. Wander around the street or explore the Salamanca Arts Centre and Salamanca Square to make your own discovery. Products made from Tasmanian Huon Pine are among the most popular.

Battery Point and Sandy Bay have their own boutiques and galleries. The Sidewalk Gallery and the Masterpiece Fine Art Gallery are two where you can pick up a piece of contemporary Tasmanian art. For something different check out the 9/11 Bottleshop in the Gasworks complex Macquarie Street. It has been voted the best liquor outlet in Australia.

There are several tours offered on a regular basis. It is impossible for me to compare them because I only did one. Friends took another tour and reported that they were satisfied with it. Here are some of the options:

Battery Point Heritage Walk
This departs from the wishing well in Franklin Square every Saturday at 9.30am. It is conducted by local National Trust volunteer guides and proceeds go towards National Trust restoration projects. This walk was originally started back in 1972.

The walk includes visits to the Royal Tennis Court, St Davids Park and the underground magazine at Mulgrave Battery. You pass by many of Hobart’s historic buildings then explore the narrow streets of battery Point. Morning tea is taken at St Georges Church and you finish at Salamanca Market. The tour duration is 2.5 hours and the cost is A$10 for adults and A$2.50 for children 6-16 years. You pay the guide. Don’t forget to take the camera.

Hobart Historic Walk
This is operated by a company called Naturally Tasmania Tours and tickets and departure are from the Travel and Information Centre at 20 Davey Street. The guides are knowledgeable and are recognisable by their red shirts and umbrella.

The walk is about two kilometres long and lasts for two hours. It includes the Town Hall, Franklin Square, the Royal Tennis Court, St Davids Park, Parliament House, Salamanca Place and Kelly’s Steps. Battery Point stops are Lenna Hotel, Arthur Circus, and St Georges Church. The guide then accompanies visitors back to the starting point or you can go exploring other parts of Battery Point for yourself. The tour operates every day from October to May at 10am. The cost is A$17 for adults and children under 12 are free.

Hobart Historic Pub Tour
This is also operated by the naturally Tasmania Tours company. It is a traditional ‘pub crawl’ with a difference. The tour includes many colourful stories and you will learn about the early days of the colony and the role alcohol played in its development. The tour visits four historic pubs on Hobart’s waterfront. Telephone (03) 6230 8233 for operating times, costs, and bookings.

Tel: (03) 6234 6299)
Open: 8am-4.45pm

These gardens are a real hidden treasure. They could be the best-kept and attractive small public garden in Australia. Entry to the gardens is free and they are a great place to wander and appreciate over 6,000 exotic and native plant species.

We drove to the gardens and used the free car park. Alternatively, we could have taken a bus from the Elizabeth Street bus station. The gardens were established in 1818 on a bend of the Derwent River. They have matured wonderfully and now provide hours of enjoyment for many visitors. The gardens are well laid out with a walk along the Derwent River on one side and stunning views up to Mount Wellington behind. Check out Tasmania’s native flora and see the exotic plants in the conservatory. There is a cactus house, a pretty Japanese Garden, and lovely lawns with huge trees including the largest collection of mature conifers in Australia.

The gardens also have some other attractions. The very popular Australian TV series ‘Gardening Australia’ has established a section in the gardens where vegetables and other plants are planted and developed. You can walk through this area at most times. Then there is a sub-Antarctic plant house where you can brave the cold and see plants and landscapes from this remote, frigid region. There is also an interactive Botanical Discovery Centre which can be explored for admission of A$6.

The gardens also have a nice restaurant. Within this building there are also botanical displays worth seeing. Examples of Tasmania’s most famous wood, the Huon Pine, are nearby.

Salamanca Place dates back to the whaling days of the 1830s, when the warehouses that line this street were the centre of Hobart Town’s trade and commerce. The buildings are a fine example of colonial architecture. Today they have been attractively developed to house galleries, restaurants, theatres and nightspots. The area is a prime attraction for visitors.

The best way of seeing everything is to devote a half day and walk. Start at princes Park and walk west. Things to look out for include Kelly’s Steps leading to Battery point, the salamanca Arts Centre where there are theatres, pubs and shops, and Salamanca Square. The Arts Centre has a hugely popular Friday afternoon drinking session in the courtyard with bands playing and everyone enjoying themselves. Stop and enter the fun. Salamanca Square houses some trendy apartments, restaurants and the Antartic Adventure attraction. This opens from 10am to 5pm daily and offers 50 fun interactive exhibits, rides and other experiences.

Further west there are more restaurants, several historic pubs and Parliament Square. Walk across the square for an excellent view of Tasmania’s Parliament House. Now walk north along the waterfront exploring the docks and piers, and the shops and restaurants in Morrison Street. Eventually you will reach Constitution Dock and perhaps decide to visit the excellent Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery or the fascinating Maritime Museum of Tasmania.