Things to Do in Hobart, Australia

Kunanyi / Mount Wellington

Kunanyi / Mount Wellington dominates Hobart’s skyline, rising to about 1,271 metres and forming the eastern edge of Wellington Park, a conserved landscape of roughly 18,011 hectares.

The mountain shows a sharp sequence of environments—from temperate wet forest and fern gullies lower down to subalpine heath and windswept rock near the Pinnacle—offering dramatic viewpoints over the city, the Derwent and distant wilderness.

Visitors use boardwalks, viewing platforms and the Pinnacle shelter to orient themselves; a network of walking and mountain‑bike tracks links suburbs to the summit. Pinnacle Road is the sealed vehicle route but can be affected by snow or congestion, and shuttle buses and signposted walkways provide alternatives.

Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) sits at Moorilla Estate on the Berriedale foreshore and is known for a deliberately provocative mix of ancient objects, contemporary installations and immersive commissions presented within subterranean galleries.

Designed as a labyrinthine space, MONA encourages slow exploration and unexpected encounters rather than a single linear route, and its changing exhibitions sit alongside a permanent collection.

Most visitors combine galleries with MONA’s cellar door, winery, restaurants, landscaped grounds and occasional live events. The MONA ferry from Brooke Street Pier takes around 25–40 minutes and provides a scenic arrival option.

Salamanca Market

Salamanca Market runs along Salamanca Place beside Hobart’s waterfront and is a long‑established Saturday gathering that highlights Tasmanian‑made goods. Set among sandstone warehouses, the market concentrates artisan stalls, food sellers and street performers in a compact pedestrian setting, making it easy to browse sequentially along the wharf and into nearby laneways and galleries.

Regular stallholders trade local crafts, prepared foods and produce, offering a one‑stop introduction to Tasmanian makers and specialties. A central information booth and stall lists help locate particular producers.

Pairing a market visit with a short walk into Battery Point or a ferry from Brooke Street Pier is common; check official market pages for maps, stall lists and seasonal notices before you go.

Battery Point historic district

Battery Point is Hobart’s oldest residential precinct, a compact district of Georgian and Victorian cottages, narrow lanes and small gardened plots that reflect nineteenth‑century settlement.

The area rewards slow exploration on foot via established history walks linking landmarks such as Hampden Road mansions, the Mulgrave Battery site and Kelly’s Steps, with interpretation panels and community walking booklets providing context.

House museums like Narryna and local associations offer curated interiors and plaque trails that illuminate maritime life, early industry and urban change. The precinct’s human scale suits photography, heritage interpretation and visits to cafes and small galleries; as a living neighbourhood, respect private property, noise limits and parking rules while exploring.

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG)

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is the island’s principal museum for natural history, Aboriginal heritage, social history and visual art. Located on the waterfront in heritage buildings, TMAG displays collections that connect Tasmanian Aboriginal histories, convict‑era and maritime objects, geological specimens and distinctive flora and fauna alongside rotating contemporary exhibitions.

Visitors typically move between focused collection displays and thematic shows; onsite interpretation, selected audio guides and public programs help planning. TMAG manages off‑site house museums and research collections too, so its displays are a useful primer on the island’s environment, culture and history.

Check TMAG’s official resources for program details and accessibility information.

Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is a compact 14‑hectare public garden in the Queens Domain, founded in 1818 and noted for cool‑climate plant collections and a heritage landscape.

The Gardens combine Tasmanian native species with temperate and historically significant plantings across formal beds, themed precincts, water features and mature heritage trees, offering an accessible introduction to the island’s botanical diversity.

Highlights include the Subantarctic Plant House and curated southern‑hemisphere collections, plus a historic kitchen garden and a Japanese Garden. Visitor amenities include maps, volunteer‑guided walks, a shop and a café.

Paths are generally accessible though some historic areas are uneven; consult the Gardens’ official site for events and conservation notes.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is a hands‑on wildlife rescue and public sanctuary focused on Tasmanian native species. The site combines an active wildlife hospital with enclosures, paddocks and interpretation zones where keepers run short talks and supervised encounters, offering insights into rescue, rehabilitation and conservation work.

Residents include Tasmanian devils, wombats, echidnas, eastern quolls, sugar gliders and forester kangaroos; keeper talks explain natural history and threats such as road trauma and disease. Visitor fees and donations support the sanctuary’s 24/7 rescue service and veterinary work.

Allow at least an hour for a basic visit and follow staff guidance during animal interactions; check official pages for program changes.

Constitution Dock

Constitution Dock is a compact historic harbour basin at the edge of Sullivan’s Cove that functions as a working marina and public waterfront meeting place.

Framed by the sandstone storehouses of Salamanca Place, the dock mixes maritime commerce with visitor services such as seafood stalls and boardwalk views, and it provides close encounters with timber and steel hulls, tidal activity and working anglers.

Internationally it’s best known as the symbolic finish for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race; locally it remains a focus for fishing boats, pleasure craft and market activity. The area is walkable from Salamanca and nearby museums but can be busy during festivals and race finishes—check local waterfront or museum sources for event notices.