Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

HOBART 609
SPECIAL EVENTS The Sydney-to-Hobart Yacht Race, starting in Sydney on
December 26, fills the Constitution Dock Marina and harbor area close to overflowing
with spectators and partygoers when the ships turn up in Tasmania. The
race takes anywhere from 2 to 4 days, and the sailors and fans stay on to celebrate
New Year’s Eve. Food and wine lovers indulge themselves after the race during the
2-month-long Hobart Summer Festival, which starts on December 28.
EXPLORING THE CITY & ENVIRONS
Simply strolling around the harbor and popping into the shops at Salamanca
Place can keep you nicely occupied.
Also take a look around Battery Point, an area chock-full of colonial stone cottages.
The area gets its name from a battery of guns set up on the promontory in
1818 to defend the town against potential invaders (particularly the French).
Today, there are plenty of tearooms, antiques shops, cozy restaurants, and atmospheric
pubs interspersed between grand dwellings. One of the houses worth looking
into is Narryna Van Diemen’s Land Folk Museum, 103 Hampden Rd.
(& 03/6234 2791), which depicts the life of upper-class pioneers. It’s open Tuesday
through Friday from 10:30am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 2 to
5pm (closed July). Admission is A$5 (US$3.25) for adults and A$2 (US$1.30)
for children. Also in this area is the Maritime Museum of Tasmania, 16 Argyle
St. (& 03/6234 1427), one of the best museums of its type in Australia. It’s open
daily from 10am to 5pm, and admission is A$7 (US$4.55) for adults, A$4
(US$2.60) for children 4 to 16, and A$16 (US$10.40) for a family.
The National Trust (& 03/6223 7570) offers a 3-hour Battery Point Heritage
Walk leaving at 9:30am every Saturday from the wishing well in Franklin
Square. It costs A$11 (US$7.15) for adults and A$3 (US$1.95) for children 6
to 16 and includes morning tea.
For magnificent views over Hobart and across a fair-size chunk of Tasmania,
drive to The Pinnacle on top of Mount Wellington, about 40 minutes from the
city center. Take a warm coat, though; the wind in this alpine area can bite. An
extensive network of walking trails offers good hiking. Pick up a copy of Mt.
Wellington Day Walk Map and Notes from the Department of Environment
Tasmap Centre, at the Lands Building, 134 Macquarie St. (& 03/6233 3382).
THE TOP ATTRACTIONS
Antarctic Adventure Kids Hobart is the last port of call for expeditions to
Antarctica. You can experience the cold continent yourself at this highly recommended
attraction. It doesn’t look like much at first, but I promise you’ll be
sucked in. You can experience an Antarctic blizzard, climb all over heavy machinery,
experience a downhill ski simulator (I’m not sure how that fits in), and get
computer access to Antarctic weather conditions and communications. The photos
and other displays are also interesting. The irresistible stuffed huskies in the
souvenir shop will take a hefty bite out of your wallet. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
Salamanca Sq. & 03/6220 8220. Admission A$16 (US$10) adults, A$13 (US$8.45) students, A$8 (US$5.20)
children 4–13, A$40 (US$26) families. Daily 10am–5pm. Closed Christmas.
Bonorong Park Wildlife Centre Kids I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many
wallabies in one place as I saw here—they were hopping all over the place. There
are lots of other native animals around, too, including snakes, koalas, Tasmanian
devils, and wombats. The Bush Tucker shed serves lunch, billy teas (basically
tea brewed up in a metal pot with a gum leaf thrown in), and damper (Australian-style
campfire bread). Koala cuddling isn’t allowed in Tasmania, but if