Car Rental Hobart Airport

So you’ve just landed in Hobart, capital of Tasmania, at Australia’s southernmost airport. Last stop before Antarctica! In fact, Hobart is the official basecamp of the icy continent. Though many trips to the last (frozen) frontier have been planned from here, it’s easier to go to the South Pole by proxy. Pay a visit to Mawson’s Hut Replica Museum on Hobart’s beautiful waterfront, a carbon copy of the explorer’s Antarctic camp. Or just watch the icebreaker pull out from the deep waters of Sullivan Cove. On the harbour, you’ll find fishing boats, pleasure vessels and yachts, and every urban attraction under the sun. 

The Hobart waterfront is somewhere you’ll probably spend a fair bit of your vacation time. Enjoy the salty air with your fresh fish and chips on Constitution Dock. Grab a gourmet burger and wash it down with a boutique Tassie beer. Or spoil yourself and book a table at one of Hobart’s top restaurants. For a two-in-one experience, head to popular seafood spot, Mures – with a casual lower deck bistro, and an upper deck reserved for fine-dining. They also have a fishmongers downstairs on Victoria Dock. The eateries and bars really come alive in the evening. Hang around Salamanca Square any time of day for a whole bevy of tasty options, while the legendary Salamanca Markets is a major drawcard on Saturdays. There’s equally great shopping of local hand-made crafts and stylish gifts at Salamanca Place. Then, of course, the city centre itself is a busy retail hub.

But first, to get downtown from the airport you’ll need to cross the Tasman Bridge. Hobart is located at the foothills of Mount Wellington (kunanyi), and split by the wide Derwent River. Thanks to your handy hire car, the trip to the western shore will take around 20-minutes. Winding your way up to the mountaintop, that’s a 50-minute drive. The Mount Wellington summit is a chilly 1,270 metres above sea level, and with views across Hobart and out to Bruny Island, well worth the visit. The same goes for the journey south to Bruny itself. Think wild coastal beauty, marine animal sightings (including seals, dolphins and migrating whales), and a mouth-watering intro to locally produced cheese, wine, chocolate fudge and seafood. 

Back at Mount Wellington, the city’s pure drinking water is sourced to this iconic mountain. Take advantage of lungfuls of fresh air at Wellington Park and find a favourite walking trail. Keep an eye out for sightings of native fauna. This rich natural habitat comes with potoroo, pademelon, bandicoot, echidna, and thousands more species thriving in the bushland. You may even spot a shy platypus swimming beneath the cascades. If you miss out for whatever reason, make your way to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Brighton for a more up-close experience with vulnerable Australian wildlife. Meet koalas, sugar gliders, eastern quolls and bettongs. And, of course, the screeching Tasmanian devil, which you can feed by hand (if you dare!)

Discover Hobart’s surrounds in your hire car – it’s beautifully simple

Hobart is definitely on the cooler side weather-wise, but the locals are welcoming and warm at heart. Summer is a perfect time to vacation here. Take a dip at the sandy swimming spots at Seven Mile and Bellerive Beach. Surfing is easy with great waves at Clifton and Park Beach. Relax and stroll at the scenic river estuary beachfront at Kingston.

If you’re planning a vacation in January, look out for celebratory events to kick off the year. Give your taste buds a workout at Taste, held at the Princes Wharf. There’s also the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Stick around as the city becomes a huge party zone when the yachts arrive from across Bass Strait, with flotillas of spectators to greet them. Hobart is the finish line, which is a link of note between Australia’s two oldest cities. Founded as a convict colony in 1804, history buffs will love the numerous heritage sandstone buildings from Hobart’s colonial past around the waterfront and Battery Point. Walk the Hobart History Trail, or indulge the family with a tour by horse-drawn carriage. To learn more, roam through the miniature model village of 1820s Old Hobart Town, 20-minutes from the airport, in Richmond. 

If that piques your interest, go directly to the historic remnants and ruins at Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula, an hour away. Take an after-dark tour of this extreme convict prison (now a UNESCO World Heritage site) if you’re not too easily spooked. Thanks to the flexibility of your hire car, you could spend several days on the Peninsula exploring its natural places – including the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere, sea caves and wild, windswept landscapes.

Explore Hobart’s greener nature with your hire car

If you’re looking for a lush green break, make your way to Huon Valley via Fern Tree. That’s a scenic 50-minute drive from Hobart Airport. Otherwise, it might be a good idea to piggy-back off your Bruny Island adventure. When your ferry docks back to shore at Kettering, it’s a half-hour to the orchards and pretty farms of Huonville. Expect more vineyards and cheese makers, along with an abundance of stone fruits and berries. 

Another wonderful nature excursion, an hour from the city, is Russell Falls at Mount Field National Park. You could happily spend a day here exploring the towering gums, rainforest and waterfall, at this most favoured of picnic spots.

End your stay in Hobart with a trip to the ever-edgy Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Australia’s largest and most successful privately owned gallery is a must for art lovers and anyone who loves a vibrant attraction. Wander the inspiring exhibitions for hours, have lunch in one of the restaurants, or just grab a coffee and have some time out on the lawns. Enjoy the peaceful view of the Derwent before you head off to your next great Tassie adventure.