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Hobart is Tasmania's capital city and is the state's most populous city. Based on the 2020 estimated population of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Hobart is home to 246,970 residents, which is half of the overall population of Tasmania.

Hobart is located in the southeast of Tasmania and is the most southern of Australia's capital cities. It is Australia's second oldest capital city, next to Sydney.

Facilities Around Hobart Hobart today is the financial and administrative centre of Tasmania and serves as the home port of Australian and French Antarctic operations. The city is also a significant tourist destination, drawing millions of visitors each year.

Being a highly populated city, Hobart has plenty of facilities for residents and tourists.

Salamanca Place has rows of restaurants, galleries, speciality shops, and offices. Every Saturday, it becomes the site for Salamanca Market, one of Hobart's most visited areas. Bars and eateries are also located in the precinct's wharves.

The main shopping street in the city's CBD is Elizabeth Street, where there's a pedestrianised mall and restaurants (including ethnic restaurants) operating around the city.

The main campus of the University of Tasmania is located in Hobart, along with other colleges, which are Christ College, St.John Fisher College and Jane Franklin Hall. For primary schools, there are 122 operating across the Greater Hobart area.

The main medical facilities in Hobart are the Royal Hobart Hospital, which is a public hospital, and the Hobart Private Hospital and St. Helen's Private Hospital.

Besides commerce and tourism, arts and culture are also thriving in Hobart. In this city, you can find the Theatre Royal built in 1837 and is the country's oldest operating theatre. Other theatres are also located in the city, such as the Playhouse theatre and the Backspace Theatre. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is also Australia's second oldest museum, located at the city's waterfront.

The only means of public transportation is via Metro Tasmania buses and a few private bus services to get around the city.

Famous Destinations Around Hobart

Salamanca Market This weekend market is one of the state's most visited tourist attractions. It is located in Salamanca Place, next to the Hobart waterfront. Over 300 stalls offering locally made products, like hand-worked glass, bespoke jewellery, artworks, handcrafted cheeses, freshly baked bread and more are sold here.

Kunanyi/Mount Wellington No matter where you go in Hobart, you can always catch a glimpse of the city's beloved mountain, kunanyi/ Mount Wellington. Visitors wanting to visit the mountain can go through an extensive network of walking/cycling paths that will take them past waterfalls, rich flora and sites offering great views of the city.

History of Hobart Hobart was founded in 1804 as a British penal colony. The city was previously known as Hobart Town or Hobarton, named after Lord Hobart, the British secretary of state for war and the colonies.

The original inhabitants of Hobart were the semi-nomadic tribe of Mouheneener. A conflict with the European settlers and diseases brought by the colony dramatically reduced the population of the indigenous people.

It was recorded that Charles Darwin visited Hobart Town in 1836 as part of the Beagle expedition. He wrote about the hills and bay in the town and land used for corn and potatoes. He also noted that there were only a few large houses in the area.

The population in Hobart Town steadily grew with the River Derwent growing into an important port. It became the centre of Southern Ocean whaling and sealing trades and had industries such as shipbuilding.

It was on 21 August 1842 when Hobart Town was declared a city and was renamed Hobart in 1881.