10 Best Sights in Hobart, Tasmania

Australia's largest privately funded museum is home to a diverse array of exhibits from Tasmanian millionaire David Walsh's private collection. The unusual collection contains more than 400 often provocative pieces, including Sidney Nolan's Snake—an impressive mural made of 1620 individual paintings—and Wim Delvoye's Cloaca Professional, an interesting contraption that transforms food into excrement. MONA's two-week winter festival, Dark Mofo, celebrates the dark through large-scale public art, music, light, and the Winter Feast, one of the most exciting food festivals in the country. Sometimes compared with Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, MONA has an eclectic mix of antiquities and contemporary art. The unusual building itself is set into cliffs on the Berriedale Peninsula, and visitors to the museum use touch-screen devices to learn about the exhibits as they wander around. There is often music on the lawns with large-scale public art throughout the site, and there are several excellent restaurants on-site. To reach MONA, it's a 25-minute drive, or you can take the MONA fast catamaran from the Hobart waterfront.

About 25 km (16 miles) north of Hobart on the highway toward Launceston, this sanctuary hosts a diverse selection of Australian species—many of which have been rescued—including koalas, wombats, quolls, and the adorable Tasmanian devil. The private dusk tours are highly recommended and provide a rare opportunity to experience Tassie's beautiful nocturnal animals at their most active.

The busy waterfront at Brooke Street Pier is the city's key departure point for harbor and MONA cruises. The translucent building has two bars and two excellent restaurants as well as plenty of tourist information and a trading space for Tasmanian artisans.

Yachts competing in the annual Sydney-to-Hobart race moor at this colorful marina dock from the end of December through the first week of January. Buildings fronting the dock are century-old reminders of Hobart's trading history. Nearby Hunter Street is the original spot where British ships anchored at the time of colonization. There's a multitude of eateries, from fish punts to five-star.

Many of the sandstone warehouses once used by whalers and traders from ships docking at Salamanca Place have been converted into delightful craft shops, art galleries, and restaurants. At the boisterous Saturday market, which attracts all elements of Tasmanian society, from hippies to the well-heeled, dealers in Tasmanian arts and crafts, fresh produce, clothing, rare books, and much more display their wares between 8:30 and 3. Keep an eye open for items made from beautiful Tasmanian timber, particularly Huon pine.

Just five minutes' drive from Hobart's city center, this safe and quiet beach lies immediately north of the Queen's Domain urban parkland. Assorted sailing boats sit offshore in Cornelian Bay, while a popular trail, the Queen's Walk, runs directly behind the beach. The Cornelian Bay trail is popular among the locals. Charming Heritage-listed boathouses, picnic sites, a children's playground, and barbecues line the shore. The waterfront-facing Cornelian Bay Boathouse Restaurant is known for creative locally caught seafood and fresh Tasmanian produce. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; walking.

The old state library building houses one of the best maritime collections in Australia, including figureheads, whaling implements, models, and photographs dating from as far back as 1804. It's a small museum, though, so don't plan on spending more than an hour. Upstairs the Carnegie Gallery houses permanent exhibitions in a magnificent space, while rotating exhibits change two or three times a year on the ground floor.

The largest area of open land in Hobart, these well-tended gardens are rarely crowded and provide a welcome relief from the city. Plants from all over the world are here—more than 6,000 exotic and native species in all. The collection of Tasmania's unique native flora is especially impressive. The gardens also host regular concerts and events throughout the summer. A sub-Antarctic chamber contains specimens from islands far to the south of Tasmania.

One of Hobart's favorite beaches, this long, sandy stretch of sand is less than a 20-minute drive outside of Hobart, close to the airport. It is both isolated and stunning to look at, although it can be noisy with planes taking off and landing nearby. Considered a great family beach, it's rarely crowded and ideal for long walks along sand that's peppered with many unusual shells. The small surrounding community includes playgrounds, golf courses, and a café. Seven Mile Beach Cabin and Caravan Park is set within a beautiful park alongside the beach. There are numerous day-use areas—No. 1 has unsheltered tables and a lawn area suitable for picnicking. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Housed in a series of colonial-era buildings overlooking Constitution Dock, this art and artifact gallery is a good starting point for uncovering Tasmania's rich history. With one of Australia's largest and most diverse collections, it's a great place in Hobart to learn about the island's Aboriginal culture, European history, and unique wildlife. There are free guided tours Friday and weekends and a great café and gift shop.