What to do in Hobart
Besides all the historical sights in Hobart
there is also lots to do and see on day tours to popular areas
like Wine Glass Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula, historic Port
Arthur and the world’s best wild brown trout fishery in
the Central Highlands.
Annual events
Yachts on their way to Hobart
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
- Every year on Boxing Day a group of sailing boats depart
Sydney in a chaotic situation of hundreds of spectator boats
all trying to get a good view to make it to Hobart in as little
time as possible. Some serious partying goes on at the Hobart
waterfront around this time.
Hobart Summer Festival - runs
from late December to late January, incorporating the above
yacht race.
Royal Hobart Regatta - This
is the largest boating event in the southern hemisphere and
is held in February.
Salamanca Writers Weekend -
Held in March.
Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Show
- Usually held in October
Battery Point
Located near Princes Wharf, this historic old port
area of Battery Point is a must see attraction in Hobart. The
name Battery Point originates from the gun battery of guns that
once stood here.
This area used to be a bustling maritime village filled with sailors,
fishermen and merchants.
Bruny Island
Australian Fur Seals
© Tourism Tasmania
Bruny Island Wilderness Coast, Seals and Wildlife
Adventure! This tour has it all - beautiful remote bays, spectacular
towering cliffs, mysterious breathing rock, hidden caves, sculptured
rocky islands and the fascinating Friar Rocks - home to 1000+
Australian Fur Seals. More
info on this tour...
Cascade Brewery
Photo by Kimiko Holder
Located in a beautiful old building, the Cascade
brewery is Australia's oldest brewery and brews some of the
best beer in the country. You will be able to confirm this
if you book on one of their guided tours which shows you how
they brew this excellent stuff and includes, like is pretty
well standard on brewery tours, free sampling. If you can
still walk after all this sampling check out the gardens around
this brewery too.
The brewery is located 10 minutes by bus or car from the centre
of Hobart at 140 Cascade Road, South Hobart. One-and-a-half
hour tours are conducted by guides four times a day at 9.30
and 1.00pm Monday to Friday. Tours include the chance to see
some of Australia's best loved premium beers brewed in the
historic brewery and a walk through the famous Woodstock gardens.
Allow half an hour at the end of the tour for tastings, which
are included in the tour price. From 1 October 2004, tours
cost $16 for adults, $7.00 for children and young people under
the age of 18, and $12 for seniors/students (with cards) and
family $38 (two adults and up to four children). Bookings
are essential and can be made by phoning (03) 6224 1117.
City tour
You can explore the city on your own or enjoy a
guided tour on board the Hobart Explorer Coach Tram for a historical
3 hour tour of Hobart and the beautiful surrounding suburbs, over
40 sights gives you the perfect picture of Hobart's attractions.
More
info on this tour....
Hobart Waterfront
© Tourism Tasmania
Another option is the Hobart
Highlights tour
Chocolate cruise
River Cruise, Cadbury Tour and Chocolate! Chocolate!
Chocolate! Explore the Cadbury Schweppes Chocolate Factory,
enjoy a fascinating tour and tantalize those taste buds with
some taste testing. Located on a picturesque peninsula this
is the perfect opportunity to team your chocolate experience
with a splendid natural experience, as you cruise to and from
the factory from the magnificent Hobart harbor and Derwent
River.
More info on this tour...
Cycling
If you're into cycling then Hobart offers quite a few options;
The descent down Mt Wellington
© Island Cycle Tours
A very enjoyable way to get some exercise and see
the sights is this tour where a mini bus will take you to the
top of Mt. Wellington and then all you need to do is ride downhill!
Take in the views of the distant mountain ranges of the southwest,
to the sprawling city of Hobart below. Then follow your guide
on a downhill descent of the mountain. Watch the alpine terrain
gradually being replaced by a magnificent forest and stop on several
occasions to take in the varying views and snap a picture or two.
The winding mountain road takes you down to the foothills where
you can choose to experience the thrill of the off-road section.
Ride 5km of winding, twisting ups and downs - only for the adventurous
at heart. Regroup for a snack then complete the ride at Salamanca
Place on the waterfront of Hobart.
More
info on this tour...
In summer time, from December till March, you
can also do this tour at night, more
info...
© Island Cycle Tours
For the more serious cycling enthusiast there
is also a full day tour. Mt Field is a bite size chunk of
what covers most of south western Tasmania. Taking a full
day to explore Tasmania’s first national park is perfect
for those on a tight schedule. This tour allows you to walk
amongst the rainforest in an alpine environment, mountain
bike a dirt road, then cycle along the Derwent River towards
New Norfolk, enjoy a picnic lunch at Mt Field, visit famous
Russell Falls, then finish the day with an optional jet boat
ride or watch the fish feeding frenzy at the Salmon Ponds.
More info on this tour....
Franklin River, Tasmania
© Tourism Tasmania
There are few great frontiers left in the world
- the Franklin is one of them. Free of pasture and any human
habitation, it is a veritable feast for the intrepid explorer.
Rafting down this superb river is the only way to truly appreciate
its wild beauty. It is acknowledged as one of the most spectacular
and difficult river trips around, attracting adventurers from
all over the world. The opportunity of an expedition-style
trip, rather than merely 'thrills and spills' makes this the
ultimate wilderness experience.
This is certainly a wilderness experience rather than the
kind of rafting you might encounter on a one-day rafting trip.
Levels can vary from more exciting levels often earlier in
the season to more sedate levels late in the season. If you
have had outdoor experience and think you are ready for this
adventure, then the challenge is yours. There is very little
doubt that this is an unforgettable experience, one that you
will remember for the rest of your life. More
info on this amazing adventure....
There is also the option of extending this tour to include
the rugged mountain of Frenchman's Cape, more
info...
Hiking
© Tourism Tasmania
South west; Tasmania is rennowned
for its wilderness areas but none are as remote and undisturbed
as the south west part, and hikes in this area are only for
the serious hikers.
The South Coast Track in Tasmania's remote South West is considered
one of the best wilderness treks in Australia. This nine day
and eighty kilometer hike through World Heritage wilderness
will take you through rainforest, along golden beaches, over
coastal ranges and beside quiet lagoons. This magnificent
journey is a wilderness experience for the serious adventurer!
More
info on this amazing adventure....
Cradle Mountain; The Overland
Track from Waldheim near Cradle Mountain to Lake St. Clair
is, for very good reasons, the most popular extended walk
in Australia. Walkers, from all over the country and overseas,
are attracted to this magnificent area to experience the grandeur
of its mountain ranges, the beauty of its unique vegetation
and the pure solitude of wilderness. This seventy kilometer
(forty four mile) walk can normally be completed in five days,
but Tasmanian Expeditions allow seven so as to best appreciate
the points of special interest along the way.
Your schedule will permit time to visit the summit of some of
the highest mountains in the State, possibly even Mount Ossa,
the highest of all.
Since Tasmanian Expeditions groups are restricted to a maximum
of ten people, a real sense of group identity develops, making
this wilderness experience one that you know will be truly memorable.
More
info on this amazing 8 day adventure...
Shorter three
day and six
day adventures are available too.
Huon Valley
Tahune Forest Airwalk
© Experience Tasmania
You can't go to Tasmania and not see at least
some of its many forests. Discover Tahune Forest Airwalk and
enjoy a Salmon Farm visit! Journey into the lush rolling hills
and valleys of the Derwent and Huon Valleys. Walk under tall
tree fern canopies and float above the tree tops on the Tahune
Forest Airwalk! Including a delicious home cooked lunch at
a local farm - this is the ultimate day out! More
info on this tour....
Kayaking
© Chris Blackaby Sea Kayak Tours
Enjoy the view from the water of the River Derwent
with the view from the summit of Mt Wellington on these great
combination tours. There are two tour options and both options
include a two hour sea kayak, 3 hour Mt Wellington Descent,
a light meal and snack as indicated in the itineraries below.
These tours are run in conjunction with Chris Blackaby Sea
Kayak Tours and include a light bakery breakfast and hot coffee
from your kayak. At 9.30am, join the Mt Wellington Descent
bike ride for a full morning of activities that's over by
lunchtime. More
info on this tour....
And just as with the cylcing tour above, you can also do
this combination tour in the evening, more
info...
If you're a serious kayaker you might like this three day
tour to the Freycinet Peninsula, more
info...
Mt. Wellington
Mt. Wellington seen from the city
|
Panoramic views from Mount Wellington
© Experience Tasmania
|
Rising to a height of 1270 metres, Mt Wellington
is a spectacular and panoramic backdrop for the city and a
visit to Hobart would not be complete without a trip to the
top of this mountain to enjoy the spectacular views over the
city and the Derwent River, and all the way down to the D'Entrecasteaux
Channel and Bruny Island . You can enjoy this mountain on
one of the cycling tours above or on a two hour tour that
includes more of the city sights. More
info on this tour...
Port Arthur
Port Arthur Church
© Port Arthur Region Marketing
Do you enjoy historical tours? This full day
tour has been designed to allow as much time as possible to
explore Port Arthur. Formerly a convict site, Port Arthur
is bursting with history and today boasts a landscape of natural
beauty, scenic ruins and restored buildings. Make the most
out of your day and join the informative fully guided historical
walking tour and jump on the relaxing cruise to the Isle of
the Dead! More
info on this tour...
Russell Falls
Russell Falls
Enjoy the beauty of the Derwent Valley, as you
journey north from Hobart. Stop at one of the oldest national
parks in Australia - The Mount Field National Park. Walk under
a stunning Fern Tree Canopy and discover the magnificent Russell
Falls - a nature lovers delight! Then, it's onto Bonorong
Wildlife Park where you can take a guided tour and learn about
the habits of Australia's native animals. More
info on this tour....
Salamanca Place
Salamanca Markets
© Experience Tasmania
At the waterfront at Salamanca Place you will
find some excellent Australian colonial architecture. These
beautiful sandstone warehouses were the centre of trade and
commerce of the whaling industry in the 1830s. Nowadays they
have been converted into restaurants, bars, galleries, and
shops. Every Saturday morning a market is held here.
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
This museum includes an Aboriginal display and relics from
the state's colonial heritage, and the gallery has an excellent
collection of Tasmanian colonial art. You can also see Hobart's
oldest building here, which was built in 1808.
Wildlife
Tasmanian devil in Bonorong Wildlife Park
© Experience Tasmania
Tasmania is the home of the Tasmanian Devil, a pretty
fierce creature with some serious teeth on him, and you can meet him
on this private half day tour. Begin the day with a visit to the Bonorong
Wildlife Park, see the Tassie devil and some other Australian native
animals and take this opportunity to learn more about them. Next, you'll
visit Richmond - admire the charm and history and explore its many sights
at your own leisure. And enjoy some samples of some special Tasmanian
whisky and liqueurs at the Lark Distillery before returning to Hobart.
More
info on this tour...
