Hobart & South Of Hobart

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Hobart is Tasmania’s harbour capital, located in the south-east of the state at the foot of majestic Mount Wellington. Hobart is Australia’s smallest and most historic capital in close proximity to beautiful natural surrounds and a provocative mix of history, contemporary art and culture.

In Salamanca Place you will find 19th-century waterfront warehouses dating back to the 1830s whaling days. Today, they house cafes, restaurants, galleries and art studios, the ideal place to wander or enjoy alfresco dining. Every Saturday, the Salamanca Market is open to the public and boasts creative artisans and busker's on every corner. With over 400 stalls it is by far one of the best markets in Australia.
The Huon Valley winds to the South of Hobart, where fruitful orchards and rich soil, of riverside settlements and towns on the forest fringe, the Huon is a valley of surprises. Here, you can savour the fine, fresh produce of the land and sea sweet summer berries, crisp autumn apples, full-flavoured wines, the mouth-filling flavours of salmon and shellfish.

Tucked away in quiet, creative corners you'll find the galleries and studios of artists and craftspeople, where beautiful things are made from paint, clay, glass and fragrant Huon pine.
Hub of the district is the busy, productive centre of Huonville, apple town on the banks of the river. Across the bridge, you'll follow the valley south to Franklin, where timber shavings curl from the boat-builders' planes, and traditionally-built craft tug at their moorings beyond the workshop. Spending time on the Huon River in Franklin, this was our base for 4 days, from here we meandered along the road to destinations such as Southport, Cygnet, Woodbridge and Oyster Bay and timber town of Geeveston, with its rich forest heritage of bushmen and pioneers, winning a hard living from the tall trees on the edge of the wilderness.

It is difficult to set foot anywhere in Tasmania without being reminded of its turbulent past, however it is Port Arthur, in the south east of Tasmania, that revisits this era on the largest scale. Between 1830 and 1877 it was home to more than twelve and a half thousand prisoners, and is now one of Tasmania’s most popular tourist attractions.

Enjoy the pics and remember you can leave a message anytime, would love to hear from you.

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Photos

Cygnet
Love this cafe in the main strip, everything was home grown and curries were made from scratch, coffee awesome too. This was like sitting in my Irish Grandmas home. Looking forward to another visit one day.

Hobart Huon Valley Trail
Ohhhhhh look at the little piggies.............

Woodbridge South East Coast
Driving from Cygnet to Woodbridge, we love this area.

Woodbridge South East Coast
Another pic on the way to Woodbridge

Franklin Huon Valley Trail
Huon River what a great camping spot

Franklin Huon Valley Trail
Huon River what a great camping spot - $8 p/night, $24 for 4 nights. All proceeds go to the local Palais Theatre an historic building where you can catch the latest flick.

Franklin Huon Valley Trail
Another great restaurant/cafe on the Huon Valley Trail

Hobart Mt Wellington
The Aboriginal name for Mt Wellington is Unghbanyahletta or Poorawetter. It is 1270 metres above sea-level. Very windy but once you get up there the panoramic views of Hobart, Bruny Island, South Arm and the Tasman Peninsula are fantastic.
Did you know in February 1836 Charles Darwin climbed Mt Wellington during a visit on the HMAS Beagle.

Salamanca Place
Salamanca Place rows of sandstone buildings used to be the place whalers used to dock. The storehouses and wharf buildings as you can see have been converted into a collection of restaurants, cafés, art galleries and speciality shops still retaining its historical buildings. It was named after the Battle of Salamanca in the Spanish province of Salamanca. Interesting stuff my friends :-)

Salamanca Place
Love the architecture these buildings, built between 1835 and 1860, represent the best sandstone Georgian warehouses remaining in Australia today.

Hobart Battery Point
As you can see I love architecture, this is a Victorian style home which is among the many diverse architectural styled homes in Battery Point, Hobart. I love this area but if you did own any of the homes in this area, they are all Heritage Listed which means all work needs to be assessed before you go ahead. All work also is required to carried out in the original manner from when it was contructed. Very expensive to own one of these properties.

Hobart Battery Point
Victorian style home

Hobart Battery Point
This home built in the 1800's and funnily enough had some of its windows barricaded. Apparently a window tax had been introduced, hence wanting to save a penny or two. Interesting stuff :-) I thought anyway.

Shipwrights Arms Hotel
Constitution Dock is the hub of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race festivities (first raced in 1945-1946) and is also a venue for the Hobart Summer Festival. This is where all the fun happens after the race is finished.

Constitution Dock Hobart
Sydney to Hobart Race finishes at this point

Hobart Cascades Female Factory
The Cascades Female Factory (a gaol for women who committed the most menial crimes in the UK) operated in South Hobart from 1828 to 1856. After it ceased operation as a female factory in 1856, it continued as a gaol under the administration of local authorities from 1856 until 1877.(It was originally a distillery). The factory's first intake of female prisoners was in 1828, and it gradually expanded to hold 700 female convicts and their children, though at its peak it was even more overcrowded than usual, holding 1200 women and children. 300 children died during this time!!!
Women were employed at the factory in washing, sewing, carding and spinning and some of them were employed as maids in colonies like Port Arthur.

Hobart Cascades Female Factory
If you were sent to here, you may have commited a menial crime, stealing — food, clothing, money, household items — nothing worth more than £5.
Relatively few of the women were transported for a first offence. A few of the women even courted transportation — deliberately committing crimes such as arson in order to be transported. Perhaps a few were wrongly accused, but the majority, according to the laws of the day, deserved to be transported to the other side of the world, away from kith and kin. It was a horrible feeling standing inside this location, I couldn't stay long at all.

Hobart Cascades Female Factory
Catherine Bartley; Irish, gaoled for 9 months for stealing a parasol and then stealing a cow. Her punishment, to be sent to the Female Factory in Hobart in 1850. Sad story this and more in the pic if you can read it.

Hobart Cascades Female Factory
Eliza James, caught for stealing 5 times, transported to Cascades at the age of 15 in 1852. Her ticket of leave was given in 1854 but was revoked as she did not attend the head count or musters in the gaol at the time. There have only been 2 photos found of original convicts of the Cascades Female Factory.

Hobart Old Pub
One of the oldest hotels in Australia 1807, more great architecture.

Hobart Tourist Tour
Looking over Hobart