Hobart is a delightful mix of the new and old world

Hobart is a delightful mix of the new and old world

Why would you want to visit Hobart, Tasmania? A better question would be, "Why wouldn't you?" After Sydney Hobart is the oldest city in Australia with much of its history going back as early as 1803. It is the capital city of Tasmania and major transportation link to the mainland, so combines its old world charm with modern amenities. You can stay in a Hobart accommodation that dates back to the 19th century, but is luxuriously appointed, giving you a feeling of living in two eras at once. These are just a few of the reasons why you don't want to miss Hobart.

Just a year after its discovery, Lieutenant Governor Collins began settlement of Hobart. It was not to be a settlement for the rich gentry, though. Since the prisons in Ireland and England were already overcrowded with criminals and supports of the independence movement in Ireland. Tasmania was chosen as the ideal place for a remote location for these prisoners. Free settlers looking for a fresh start in life soon followed and Hobart, with its deep water harbor, was an ideal place for them to make their start. In the early years of settlement, they used the harbor for exporting timber, wool and some produce. Gradually, the small settlement grew into a city in its own right.

On the first of January, 1856, Tasmania received its official name after being called Van Diemen's Land since its discovery. By that time, the settlers were anxious to shake off their island's penal colony image and hoped the name change would help erase the past. The areas around the wharf and the Derwent River had been developed and the export trade was bringing greater prosperity to Hobart. Many large buildings and warehouses that were built in the first half century of Hobart's settlement are still standing and in use. While most of Sydney's wharfside buildings have been replaced or restored, Hobart's Wharf Docks make you feel like you're stepping back in time, while still having many cosmopolitan street and dockside cafes, bars and restaurants.

Just a short stroll from the Wharf Docks is Salamander Place. The old wharf structures and warehouses here have been restored and converted into a variety of galleries, gift shops, restaurants and cafes.

Changing the name of Van Diemen's Land did little towards erasing Tasmania's past. In actual fact one of Hobart's biggest attractions is the history of its old penal colony. Within the city itself, you can visit the infamous Female Factory. Between 1828 and 1877, hundreds of women and children toiled, suffered and died in this terrible place. About an hour and a half's drive or bus ride from the city center, Port Arthur Historic Site is another former penal colony whose parks and natural surroundings disguise its grim history.

Tasmania is no longer a penal colony, though and most of its natural wonders remain in perfect or near perfect condition. Hobart is the perfect place from which to start your exploration of the island. You don't need to travel far, either, in order to enjoy some of the most breathtaking scenery you will ever see. The best time to travel to Hobart Tasmania is during the Southern Hemisphere summer months between December and January. Book your Hobart accommodation early, though, because these are the months when the Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race is on and the city is buzzing with excitement during these months.

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