Day-Trips and Itinereraries, in and Around Hobart.

When you are just hopping over to Tassie for a short weekend trip, It’s really frustrating to spend half your time wondering what to do. This is probably why many people book Louisa’s Walk well ahead, having found us on the internet. Was there life before the web? Despite it being the depths of winter, though let’s be honest, a very mild one this year – we are still pleasingly busy. So long as you wrap up well, you will survive the chill and the sometimes, bleak conditions help you to relate more to the convict women of long ago.
Today we met a lady who had been tracing her family history. She had visited her childhood home in Blackmans Bay and, when I met her, was on her way to the Cornelian Bay Cemetery where some of her ancestors are buried. She was so disappointed not to have the time to experience Louisa’s Walk but took a brochure and will visit us when she returns next year.
We often recommend that visitors to our lovely city have lunch at the Cascade Visitors Centre just over the road from where Louisa’s Walk commences. The Centre is in fact, the old home of Peter Degraves the man who started the Brewery and is set in three acres of heritage gardens. Paul and his friendly staff will look after you with delicious foods and, of course, Cascade beers or soft drinks! Thus, relaxed and lubricated you can walk over to start Louisa’s Walk at 1.50 p.m.
But how else to fill the morning and evening? Some suggestions for a day’s activities would be: on a Saturday of course, visit the famous Salamanca Market, up for lunch at the Visitor Centre and over to us. Other days: a trip up the mountain on a clear day is awesome, a Brewery Tour, a visit out to Bonorong Wildlife Park, a drive to Richmond, check out the Penitentiary in Campbell Street, make time to wander around the delightful village – suburb of Battery Point, especially in spring when the gardens are blooming. Talking of gardens, don’t forget the finest Botanical Gardens in Australia almost in the heart of the city – the gardens have a good restaurant too, it’s just a ten minute drive across the city to get to the top of the Cascades and your 2 p.m Louisa’s Walk show. For a good pub lunch ( and a place where we often get together with friends or family) nothing beats Knopwoods, affectionately known as “Knoppies” in Salamanca Place. The food and the prices are hard to beat and there is usually a log fire crackling away even in summer – bliss! So if you happen to be in Knoppies one lunchtime and you see a woman emerge from the ladies clad in period costume it’s just me ready to go off to perform a Louisa’s Walk!
The Hobart Rivulet Walk is a highly recommended acitivity after our Show, it only runs a couple of times a week but is well worth it. You tour under the city following the tunnels of the Hobart Rivulet which also makes an appearance in Louisa’s Walk. An evening cruise on one of our harbour ferries is always lovely and don’t forget the oldest working theatre in Australia, the Theatre Royal, for one of their evening shows. You can also visit the Theatre Royal during the day for a guided tour.
These are just a few of the suggestions for things to do in Hobart. For more ideas, visit the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre on the corner of Davey and Elizabeth Street. The experienced staff there can help you put a day’s itinerary together, matching your tastes and interests to what we have to offer in our compact, little city. Have fun!