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Hobart
Tasmania's capital and one of Australia's most striking cities
set at the foot of Mt Wellington on the shores of the Derwent
River. Hobart is one of Australia's oldest capital cities
and the smallest state capital. It has a northern European
feel with solid colonial archtecture in the centre and colorful
and sometimes run down weatherboard houses in the suburbs
amidst a rugged landscape.
Pop
up map of southern Tasmania (152kb)
Near Hobart dozens
of bays, channels and islands with names like Adventure Bay
and Storm Bay attest to Hobart's links with the ocean and
sea-farers. Once a whaling centre, Hobart is now home to Australia's
Antarctic Headquarters and becomes famous every year at New
Year for the finish of the gruelling Sydney - Hobart yacht
race.
The old parts
of town near the docks and Battery Point are very interesting
to stroll around exploring convict built streets and renovated
colonial architecture.
| Salamanca
Place has cafes and markets on the weekend with a
great range of local art and crafts and some lively
buskers. |
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Victoria Dock and Hunter Street
by the city at Sullivans Cove. |
The pier area
at Franklin Wharf welcomes visitors with restaurants, bars
and lots of sailing activity. All these areas are in easy
walking distance of the city's shopping and office centre.
Franklin Wharf
is the departure point for bay cruises or to hop on the ferry
to Bellerive across the river for a view of the city or stroll
through the riverside park.
Southern Tasmania
Port
Arthur Area
East of Hobart the Tasman Peninsula juts into the Tasman Sea
and was Tasmania's first European settlement. The old convict
settlement at Port Arthur is a fascinating look at life in
a remote colony many years ago.
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| Port Arthur Historic Site |
| The natural
beauty of the area is quite striking too with many bays
and rock formations to view. On the wild east coast
take Pirates Bay Drive to view spectacular spots like
the Blow Hole and Devil's Kitchen. Paddle a sea kayak
to get a closer look. |
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South of Hobart
There
are many roads to explore to the south of Hobart. Take a ferry
to Bruny Island and see Captain Cook's landing place. The
Channel Highway winds around waterways and through small towns
and apple orchards. The Huon flows through huge Huon Pine
forests into a large estuary.
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| Channel Waterways |
| Boat hire
and cruises are available from Hounville and Port Huon.
Or go jet boating on the Huon or at New Norfolk on the
Derwent just west of Hobart. |
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South West Tasmania
Most of South
West Tasmania is part of the South West National Park which
forms a continuous link north to the Franklin Gordon Wild
Rivers National Park and the famous Cradle Mountain Lake St
Clair National Park. This huge wilderness area is remote yet
accessible by road and hiking trails. Overnight hikers should
be fully prepared and quite fit as the weather can turn quickly
and trails can be very arduous. The experience and views are
worth the hard effort. The many lakes in the area provide
excellent fishing with trout restocked regularly.
East Coast Tasmania
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| Bay of Fires near St Helens on the
east coast. |
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