March 3 - Hobart

Today we arrived in the Australian island state of Tasmania and its capital city of Hobart.  As we flew into the Hobart airport, I noticed that the area was quite mountainous, with small mountains ringing the metropolitan area of Hobart.  Hobart’s skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre Mount Wellington.  It has a population of 250,000 people, which makes it the least populated state capital in Australia.

The city is located in the island’s south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, making it the most southern of Australia's capital cities. Hobart is also one of the deepest harbours in the southern hemisphere.  

The port was used by the British to offload convicts who were being transferred to the Port Arthur Penal Colony.  It was also a prime whaling port in the 19^th century.  Today it is the finishing line of the one of the world’s most prestigious yachting race, the Sydney to Hobart Race.

Tasmania was permanently settled by Europeans in 1803 as a penal settlement for the British Empire to prevent claims to the land by the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. Approximately 75,000 convicts were sent to Tasmania, then known as Van Diemen's Land, before transportation ceased in 1853. In 1901 it became a state through the process of the Federation of Australia.

The morning here was cool, but it did warm up to a decent temperature in the afternoon.

We went for a guided walk around the harbour before supper.  

Because Marg needed shoes more suited to the desert, which we will be visiting in the next week, we left the tour and went shopping.  The downtown was a mix of older Victorian styled churches and museums and late 20th century stores and offices.

Afterwards we went to a harbourside pub, where I had a “4 Pines Lager”.  I really enjoyed the taste and I think it will be my favourite beer on this trip.

For dinner we joined the tour and went to a pub/restaurant in one of the older residential sections of the city.  It would not have looked out of place in a Coronation Street episode.

We are staying in The Old Woolstore Hotel and Apartments.  The room is very spacious and comfortable.  It is not too far from the waterfront.