Hobart is a picturesque harbour city situated at the mouth of the Derwent River, which despite the many modern facilities it offers has still retained its colonial atmosphere. Lieutenant-Governor David Collins founded the settlement here in 1804, thus making Hobart Australia's second oldest city after Sydney.

The first explorers in the area are thought to have been George Bass, who ascended Mt Wellington in 1798, and Robert Brown following soon after in 1804.

Junior Lieutenant John Bowen was appointed as commandant and superintendent of the settlement which was to be formed on the Derwent River.

On the 12th September 1803, Bowen arrived in Van Diemens Land on the Lady Nelson. The site of Risdon Cove was chosen because of the availability of fresh water, and there the vessels - including Albion which had arrived 5 days earlier - were unloaded.

Cattle and sheep were secured, and convicts were to build stores and other buildings. The land was to be prepared for crops, and Free Settlers were to have land granted to a maximum of 100 acres each. They were to be supplied with stock equipment and clothing, and each was to be awarded two convicts.

There were 49 newcomers including Bowen, naval surgeon Jacob Mountgarrett, soldiers, settlers and convicts. Other than for its fresh water, the site of Risdon Cove was found to be a poor choice and another site was soon chosen.

Lieutenant-Governor David Collins arrived in Tasmania after having abandoned attempts to settle Port Phillip Bay across the Bass Strait, and he founded Hobart Town on 20th February 1804. The first year of the settlement at Hobart was one of muted conflict with the Aborigines, set against a background of constant anxiety about food supplies and provisions in general.

The first settlement at Risdon Cove was abandoned in 1804 in favour of the site at Sullivan's Cove. Hobart was named after Lord Hobart, secretary of State for the colonies, and had a variety of deviations on the name from Hobart Town to Hobarton, until Hobart was finally decided upon in 1881. Hobart was the hub of what was essentially a penal settlement.

Governor Macquarie visited the new settlement in 1811, and he found an unorganised network of simple huts. He ordered that a survey be carried out and enforced strict town planning regulations.

Macquarie gave his name to one of the streets in the proposed town, as well as naming streets after his wife Elizabeth, after David Collins -the founder of Hobart, after Argyle - his home county, and after other notables such as the secretary of State for colonies, commandant of the colony and Lord Harrington. He organised and supervised the construction of a barracks, a signal post on Mount Nelson, and other public buildings.

By 1812 the turbulent colony of Van Diemens Land was to enjoy a new direction; its ports were freed from restriction and its superb pastoral lands were flooded with an increase of free settlers directly from the United Kingdom. Under the impulse of economic and population growth, Hobart began to change from an embattled encampment to a thriving maritime and pastoral centre.

Work on the town began in earnest in 1814, when a gaol and military barracks were erected, soon to be followed by a military hospital, Government House, St David's Church and a Colonial Hospital. By the time Tasmania was proclaimed a separate colony in December 1825, Hobart had begun to look like and function as a town.

The first water supply to Hobart was from the Hobart Rivulet, but due to severe water shortages during the 1820s and 1830s, Governor Arthur ordered that there be two reservoirs constructed, with town pumps also supplementing water supply after 1835.

A road from Hobart to New Norfolk was established in 1819, with a road to Launceston completed soon after. A small track was completed south near present day Huonville in 1830, as was a road from the town to Sandy Bay.

The Theatre Royal, the oldest theatre in Australia, was constructed in 1837 and has only recently been reopened following restoration work after a fire in 1984 which caused severe damage.

Hobart was declared a city on the 21st of August 1842, and 4 years later the administration was divided between 15 commissioners from 5 different areas who were responsible for the upkeep of the city streets in their area.

Australia's oldest synagogue was built in Hobart in 1843. In 1852 an official act provided for the establishment of municipal councils in both Hobart and Launceston.

In 1857 the whale oil street lamps were replaced with gas lighting, a telegraph service to Launceston operated, and a year later Government House was completed. The Town Hall was opened in September 1866, and cost 20,000 pounds to construct.

1876 saw the opening of a rail line to Launceston, and a university was founded in 1890. Hobart was the first Australian capital city to introduce a tram service in 1893, with routes to the Cascades, to New Town and Sandy Bay. 1898 saw the gas lamps replaced with electric lighting. The Tasmanian Public Library was opened in 1904.

Sandy Bay and New Town amalgamated with Hobart during the early years of the twentieth century. The first of the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races was held in 1949. The Tasman Bridge was opened in 1964 and was rammed by a ship in 1975 resulting in the deaths of 12 people. 1967 saw Hobart under attack from bushfires which ravaged many of the outer suburbs of the city. Wrest Point Hotel and casino became Australia's first legal casino when it opened for business in 1973.

Today the greater Hobart area has a population of 180,000 people and offers visitors a variety of historic, cultural and leisure activities.

There are an abundance of attractions in and around Hobart to be enjoyed. For more details, please explore the following links :

Museums and Historic Attractions
Parks and Gardens
Other Attractions

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