Things to do
Things to do in Hobart
Tasmania's capital between the mountain and the sea: the MONA ferry, Salamanca's sandstone, the mountain's weather — Australia's most atmospheric small city.
Photos for Hobart are still on their way. Every listing below is real.
Top things to do in Hobart
The harbour city at the end of the world: MONA, Salamanca, and kunanyi.
- MONA — The Museum of Old and New Art: the ferry up the Derwent, the subterranean galleries — the essential Tasmanian day.
- Salamanca Place — The 1830s sandstone warehouses: the Saturday market, the galleries, the pubs.
- kunanyi / Mount Wellington — The 1,271m mountain: the summit road, the Organ Pipes, the weather — check conditions.
- Battery Point — The colonial village: Arthur Circus, the fishermen's cottages.
- Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens — The gardens: the sub-Antarctic plant house, the lily ponds.
- Constitution Dock & the waterfront — The working harbour: the fish punts, the Sydney–Hobart finish (December).
Free things to do in Hobart
Hobart is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:
- Salamanca (streets) — The sandstone streets: free.
- Battery Point — The village: free.
- kunanyi (summit road) — The mountain: park pass is the cost.
- Botanical Gardens — Free entry.
- Waterfront walk — The docks: free.
- St David's Park — The city park: free.
Festivals & the religious calendar
The town's own festivals:
- Dark Mofo (June) — The winter festival: the dark arts, the nude solstice swim — Hobart's famous weirdness.
- Taste of Summer (Taste of Tasmania) (late December–early January) — The waterfront food festival: the Sydney–Hobart week.
- Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (26 December) — The Boxing Day start in Sydney; the Derwent finish — the city's summer peak.
- Australian Wooden Boat Festival (February (odd years)) — The biennial harbour festival: the wooden boats.
And the national calendar:
- Australia Day (26 January) — The national day: barbecues, citizenship ceremonies, harbour events. (Contested — many mark it as Invasion Day.)
- Christmas / summer holidays (December–January) — Christmas in summer: beach days, the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, Sydney–Hobart yacht race start on Boxing Day.
Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.
Sports: Australian rules football
Hobart's AFL heart beats for the North Melbourne/Hawthorn Tasmania games at Blundstone Arena — and the coming Tasmania Devils (AFL, 2028) will change everything. Cricket: the Hobart Hurricanes (BBL) at Blundstone; Tasmanian Tigers Sheffield Shield. Sailing: the Sydney–Hobart finish is the sporting Christmas.
The kunanyi trails (running, MTB); the Derwent's sailing; the golf at the coastal courses.
Tickets: official site
What's new in Hobart
The AFL's Tasmania Devils (2028) will transform the sporting calendar. Dark Mofo's June dates are confirmed yearly. MONA's new pavilions keep opening.
Submit your event
Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.
Common questions
How many days do I need in Hobart?
Two full days covers the highlights above. Add a third for the day trips — see our day-trips guide.
What can I do in Hobart for free?
Plenty — see the free list above. The town's festivals and markets are the other great free shows.
When is the best time to visit Hobart?
Time it for a festival if you can — the calendar above is the cheat sheet. Otherwise, the shoulder seasons dodge the crowds.
More to explore in Hobart
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