From ‘The Island’ spa retreat at Hobart’s Savoy Baths and Day Spa to Launceston’s historic Boag’s Brewery, Tasmania’s cities have something for every traveller.

Tasmania is renowned for its world-class natural wilderness areas, but there are bright and vibrant cities, too. Hobart and Launceston are the two main centres, and on the north-west coast there’s the city of Burnie and the riverside city of Devonport, home port of Spirit of Tasmania I and II.

HOBART

DON’T MISS

See how one of the finest beers in the world is made on a Cascade Brewery tour; taste a Tassie crayfish, fresh from the fish punts in Constitution Dock; take a river cruise to see this most maritime of cities from the water.

SHOPPING SECRETS Salamanca Market is the nation’s best outdoor market – every Saturday, the historic sandstone warehouses of Salamanca Place look down on a scene of bustle and colour. In the old warehouses themselves you’ll find some great shopping for local art and craft, fashion and furniture, jewellery and souvenirs.

MUST-VISIT PUB

Sip a Cascade or two in the cheery bar of the mariners’ pub – the historic Shipwrights Arms in Battery Point. Catch some great live music at The Republic, in the heart of North Hobart’s cosmopolitan strip of Elizabeth Street.

BEST BREW

A crisp, clean Cascade Premium is hard to beat – no wonder this wonderful beer has won international awards. But don’t miss trying Tasmania’s newest sensation, Moo Brew, from Moorilla Estate’s boutique brewery.

THEATRE HOT-SPOTS

Australia’s oldest theatre – and the one that actors love best – is the famous Theatre Royal in Campbell Street. On Salamanca Place, the Peacock Theatre presents a regular program of live shows. 

THE QUIRKY

Discover the hidden underside of Hobart on the fascinating underground Hobart Rivulet Tour, following the course of the rivulet beneath the streets of the city; paddle a kayak from Victoria Dock around Hobart’s scenic waterfront precinct; experience a garden in a fridge with plants from Macquarie Island in the amazing Subantarctic House at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. (Rug up, it’s cold and misty inside!)

WHAT A VIEW!

Hobart is spread out before you from the summit of Mt Wellington. It’s just half an hour’s drive from the city, but it’s high – be sure to take warm clothes, even in summer. If the peak is covered in cloud, there’s a more intimate view from the top of Mt Nelson, closer to the city.

BEST BREAKFAST

Tucked away in a sunny corner of Salamanca Square is Machine Cafe which has its own laundromat – so you can catch up with the washing while you read the paper and tuck into a fine breakfast at the same time.

BE PAMPERED

The Savoy Baths and Day Spa in Elizabeth Street offers a complete range of spa treatments including float, bubble and steam baths. Their signature treatment ‘The Island’ is a three-hour indulgence underscored by a musical soundscape of a Tasmanian wilderness journey, from rainforest to beach.

TAKE A WALK

A stroll through the historic village streets of Battery Point is a must-do – start from Kelly Steps, off Salamanca Place. To experience the poignant stories of the city’s past, join the roving actors who present Louisa’s Walk, from Cascade Brewery to the Female Factory in South Hobart.

 

DEVONPORT

DON’T MISS THESE CITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn about Devonport’s rich shipping heritage at the Maritime Museum.
• Get involved in the interactive exhibits at the Imaginarium Science Centre.
• See ancient Aboriginal rock carvings at The Bluff, home of Tiagarra Aboriginal
  Cultural Centre (above).
• Tour Home Hill, family home of Dame Enid and Sir Joseph Lyons, Tasmanian-born Prime Minister of Australia.
• Explore the hundreds of species of native and exotic trees and shrubs at the Tasmanian Arboretum.

LAUNCESTON

DON’T MISS

Cruise past riverside vineyards and villages on a Tamar River cruise from Old Launceston Seaport; catch an AFL match at Aurora Stadium; spend an afternoon at the amazing Inveresk Cultural Precinct; meet the Macaque monkeys in City Park.

SHOPPING SECRETS

See the best work of Tasmania’s craftspeople at the Design Centre, home of the Tasmanian Wood Design Collection; walk around the river to The Mill Providore at Ritchies Mill, where you can shop for fine kitchenware, quality ingredients and artwork from the gallery.

MUST-VISIT PUB

Catch some live music from Wednesday to Saturday nights at Irish Murphy’s in Brisbane Street in the centre of the city; soak up the cool vibes of Mud Bar and Restaurant, on the Boardwalk at Old Launceston Seaport, right on the banks of the North Esk River.

BEST BREW

How could you possibly pass up a James Boag Premium, brewed in Launceston and acclaimed around the world?

Theatre hot-spots

There’s always something happening in this city of art and culture – check the program at the Princess Theatre, the Earl Arts Centre or The Annexe at Inveresk Railyards.

THE QUIRKY

Who is James Boag? You’ll find out on a tour of the historic Boag’s Brewery; pick a dark evening and give yourself a scare on a Launceston City Ghost Tour; or get a different kind of thrill as you glide through the air on a cable hang glider at Trevallyn.

WHAT A VIEW! If you’re lucky enough to be in town when the South Esk River is pumping through the Cataract Gorge at full flow, walk out to the centre of the swaying suspension bridge and enjoy the spectacle of churning river rapids close to the heart of the city.

BEST BREAKFAST

Pierre’s on George Street has been a Launceston institution for decades and it’s still a great spot for a leisurely breakfast and an excellent coffee. The funky and colourful Elaia in Charles Street and The Quadrant is another ‘Lonnie’ favourite.

GET PAMPERED

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back to the glory days of Rome when you slip into the hot waters of the luxurious Aquarius Roman Baths in George Street. Relax in the soothing baths of three marble hot-rooms, kept at different temperatures in the ancient Roman style, and experience the decadent luxury of the Cleopatra day spa.

FESTIVAL TIME

Launceston’s three-day Festivale is a celebration of the northern Tasmanian lifestyle. Every February, City Park hosts more than 70 exhibitors, showcasing their food and wine in an atmosphere of fun and festivity. Great music and exciting entertainment are highlights of the event. 

TAKE A WALK

Few cities have a wild river so close to the CBD – in Launceston the South Esk River flows through the spectacular Cataract Gorge. It’s an easy walk from the city to the Gorge, at which point a walking track threads its way higher up the river. 

BURNIE

DON’T MISS THESE CITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn the secrets of specialty paper-making at Creative Paper – take the guided tour and make your own sheet of hand-made paper.
• See what’s on the walls at Burnie Regional Art Gallery, with contemporary and traditional art.
• Step back in time at the Pioneer Village Museum and wander along a 19th century Burnie streetscape.
• Admire the thousands of colourful blooms at the Emu Valley Rhododendron Gardens.
• Take an evening penguin tour to see the birds returning from the sea to their coastal burrows.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The chairlift across the Basin in the Cataract Gorge is the longest single-span chairlift on Earth.
• Brewed in Launceston, Boag’s Premium has been voted best beer in the world.
• St John’s Church has the longest church aisle in the southern hemisphere.

 

STORY: CHRIS VINEY