Hobart, absolutely charming!

Hobart, Tasmania’s capital lies in the south east of the state, near the mouth of the Derwent River at the foot of Mount Wellington.

It is Australia's southernmost capital city and it’s also the smallest.

Perhaps Australia's most stress-free and engaging city, Hobart belies the conservative and provincial reputation it has amongst some Australian mainlanders.

There's not a lot you won't find here, the city has a thriving festival scene and a real sense of history.

For walking, eating, shopping and just soaking in the atmosphere it can't be bettered.

A river city with a busy harbour, the mountain backdrop offers fine views over the beautiful Georgian buildings, numerous parks and compact suburbs below.

Hobart is, in a word, quite charming, (I know, that’s two words, but what the ...).

The 19th century waterfront warehouses for which the city is famous once bustled with whalers, soldiers, self important bureaucrats and entrepreneurs.

Now they house cafes, restaurants and studios, and bustle with shoppers and visitors.

There's a busy arts scene providing the visitor with countless opportunities to indulge a passion for art, craft, music and theatre and you can enjoy Irish jigs or pub rock, a flutter at the Wrest Point casino, street buskers and string quartets, and theatrical performances both classic and contemporary.

Whatever turns you on.

In the art galleries and studios, artists and craftspeople make wonderful creations on canvas and in glass, pottery and fabrics.

The city has two distinct restaurant districts ; one includes Battery Point, Sullivans Cove and Salamanca Place while the other can be found in a commercial strip in Elizabeth Street, North Hobart.

In both districts, you’ll find an array of cuisines, many featuring fresh Tasmanian produce and seafood.

If you are staying in the city, you will probably be able to walk to your restaurant, but you may also like to visit a different part of the city.

Both inner and North Hobart have great pubs featuring live music and delicious food.

There are also a number of restaurants in Sandy Bay and dotted throughout other suburbs on both sides of the river.

Here you'll find a user-friendly guide to the best of Tasmania’s restaurants, seafood, wine, coffee shops, watering holes and pubs.

For those more interested in the Tasmanian flora the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is a popular recreation area a short distance from the city centre.

It is the second oldest Botanic Gardens in Australia and holds extensive significant plant collections.

Mount Wellington, accessible by passing through Fern Tree, is the dominant feature of the skyline, indeed many descriptions of the area have used the phrase "nestled amidst the foothills" to describe the city, so undulating is the landscape.

Rising 1270 metres (around 4000 feet) above the harbour and the wide Derwent River, Mt Wellington provides a wilderness experience within 20 minutes of the city and is much loved by locals.

The 21 kilometre drive to the summit takes you from temperate rainforest to sub-alpine flora and glacial rock formations, ending in panoramic views of the city, Bruny Island, South Arm and the Tasman Peninsula.

The interpretation centre at the top protects you from the blustering winds and a viewing platform on the western side of the car park looks out to the southern World Heritage Area beyond.

Bushwalking trails suit all fitness levels and barbecue and picnic facilities are provided.

Mountain activities also include cycling and abseiling.

The Aboriginal name for Mt Wellington is Unghbanyahletta or Poorawetter, and if you can pronounce that ‘you’re a better man than I am Gunga Din’. (borrowed from Rudyard Kipling’s famous poem).

Mt Wellington has its own ecosystems, is rich in biodiversity and plays a large part in determining the local weather.

An attempt to construct a cable car from the Cascade Brewery to the summit in the early 1990s was met with vocal disparagement, indicating just how important the locals consider "The Mountain".

The Tasman Bridge is also a uniquely important feature of the city, connecting the two sides of the city and visible from many locations.

This is one of the area's real icons.

Hobart is internationally famous among the yachting fraternity as the finish of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race which starts in Sydney on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas Day).

The arrival of the yachts is celebrated as part of the Summer Festival, a food and wine festival beginning just after Christmas and ending in mid January.

The Taste of Tasmania is a major part of the festival, where locals and visitors can taste fine local and international food and wine.

The city is also the finish point of the Targa Tasmania rally car event held annually in April since 1991 and the annual Tulip Festival at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is a popular spring celebration.

The Australian Wooden Boat Festival is a bi-annual event celebrating wooden boats and it’s held concurrently with the Royal Hobart Regatta, which began in 1830 and is Tasmania's oldest sporting event.

Hobart also hosts the bulk of the Ten Days on the Island festival, a biannual international arts festival.

The Salamanca Market is one of Tasmania's premier tourist attractions and a major focus of social and business life in Hobart.

Every week tens of thousands of customers come to experience the atmosphere and excitement of the markets, held at Salamanca Place every Saturday between 8.30am and 3.00pm.

Hundreds of stallholders set up their stalls on a street lined with lawns and elm trees.

Historic sandstone warehouses from the century before last, now renovated and converted to cafes and galleries, complete the scene.

As I said, Hobart, absolutely charming!.............enjoy,

John.

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