Download or view online this region's Holiday Guide. It is full of information to help you plan things to see, places to stay and where to go. Within 90-minutes’ drive from the vibrant waterfront city of Hobart you can experience world-heritage wilderness, discover Port Arthur Historic Site, see nature at its finest, or sip fine wines in a cool-climate vineyard.
On your travels, drop in and say hello to the friendly people in local Visitor Centres. They will be able to give you a few inside secrets on the region - just look for the blue and yellow `i' symbol.
Why explore Hobart and Surrounds?
With the River Derwent at its heart and Mount Wellington rising above it, in Hobart the tranquility of a city from a bygone era coexists with the vibrancy of a pocket-sized modern metropolis. Hobart's European beginnings are evident everywhere, from quaint settlers' cottages to the lofty porches of colonial mansions.
Once bustling with whalers and entrepreneurs, 19th-century sandstone warehouses now serve as dockside cafes, artist’s studios and restaurants, where you can enjoy excellent cuisine and fine wines. Discover Australia’s history in the nearby Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, enjoy classical and modern music in a variety of venues, or go to the theatre, in this city of festivals.
Hobart is a place of fishing boats, fish punts at the docks, and coffee under the sun-umbrellas where the famous Salamanca Market is held every Saturday.
Take a harbour cruise past square-rigged yachts, or drive to the summit of Mount Wellington for a bird’s eye view of the intricate pattern of islands and estuaries that reach out to the sea beyond.
The area surrounding Hobart is rich with a variety of landscapes and experiences.
To Hobart’s south east, past the Coal River Valley wineries, is the historic town of Richmond. Here, the jail serves as a prelude to the Port Arthur Historic Site on the Tasman Peninsula. Nearby Port Arthur you will find thrilling cliff walks and cruises that take you beside 300 metre sea cliffs and Tasman Island.
South of Hobart, you can cruise off Bruny Island, beneath some of the world’s highest seacliffs, or drive north to Oatlands, to explore Australia’s largest collection of sandstone buildings. Farther afield through New Norfolk is the pretty town of Hamilton, or for a taste of the high country, visit Bothwell at the southern edge of the Central Plateau.
Convict Trail - from Sorell to Port Arthur Historic Site.
Huon Trail - discover the Huon Valley and southwest.
Local help from Tasmania's Visitor Information Centres is available at:
Hobart
20 Davey Street
Ph (03) 6238 4222
Email: bookings@hobarttravelcentre.com.au
Web: www.hobarttravelcentre.com.au
Huonville
The Esplanade
Ph (03) 6264 1838
Email: info@huonjet.com
Kettering
81 Ferry Rd
Ph (03) 6267 4494
Email: kettering.info@gmail.com
Oatlands
'The Stables', 85 High Street
Ph (03) 6254 1212
Email: oatlands@tasvisinfo.com.au
Port Arthur
Port Arthur Historic Site
Ph (03) 6251 2371
Email: portarth@tasvisinfo.com.au
Open