Other sights in Hobart
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Port Arthur
Port Arthur is the name of the small settlement in which the well-preserved Port Arthur Historic Site is situated. In 1830, Governor Arthur chose the Tasman Peninsula as the place where prisoners who had committed further crimes in the colony would be confined in an allegedly 'escape-proof' natural prison. The town is also the site of the tragic April 1996 massacre in which a lone gunman opened fire on visitors and staff, killing 35 people.
Between 1830 and 1877, about 12,500 convicts served sentences at Port Arthur and for many it was a living hell, though convicts who behaved well often lived in better conditions than those they'd experienced back home.
The penal establ…
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Mt Field National Park
Mt Field National Park is a favourite of both locals and visitors for its spectacular mountain scenery, alpine moorlands and lakes, rainforest and waterfalls. The area around Russell Falls was made a reserve in 1885 and by 1916 had become one of Australia's first national parks. The abundance of wildlife that can be viewed at dusk makes this a great place to stay overnight with kids. When nature sees fit to deposit snow, skiing is also an option.
The park's visitors centre has reams of information on the area's walks, and on the free, child-occupying, ranger-led activities usually held from late December until early February. Also inside are a cafe and displays on the ori…
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Richmond & the Coal River Valley
With more than 50 19th-century buildings and just 27km from Hobart, Richmond is arguably Tasmania's premier historic town. Straddling the Coal River and on the old route between Hobart and Port Arthur, Richmond was once a strategic military post and convict station. The town is surrounded by Tasmania's fastest-growing wine region - known as the Coal River Valley - and there are wineries in all directions.
With the completion of the Sorell Causeway in 1872, traffic travelling to the Tasman Peninsula and the east coast bypassed Richmond. The town remained the focus of a farming community but ceased to grow - in fact, for more than a century it changed very little. It has si…
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Ghost Tours
The court rooms, cells, tunnels and gallows of the Penitentiary Chapel & Criminal Courts can be explored via the excellent National Trust-run tours. One-hour ghost tours are also held here most nights; they're popular, so bookings are essential.
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Salamanca Arts Centre
The non-profit Salamanca Arts Centre occupies seven Salamanca warehouses and is home to 75-plus arts organisations and individuals, including shops, galleries, studios, performing arts venues and public spaces.
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Town Hall
There are free 20-minute tours of Hobart’s grand Town Hall. It was built in 1864 and styled on the Rome’s stunning Palazzo Farnese. Tours depart from the Macquarie St foyer.
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St David's Cathedral
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