Hobart’s Best Family-Friendly Walks
BY KATE BOWN
From magical mountain trails to cool coastal tracks, here’s our pick of the best family-friendly walks in Nipaluna/Hobart.
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School’s out, the kids are home, and summer has landed at the bottom of the world. You’re dreaming of fresh air and open spaces, but getting everyone into shoes and out the door can feel like a hike of its own.
We get it. The wild calls. But the kids call louder.
Whether you’re visiting or holidaying as a local, these walks are perfect for the whole family (fur kids included): short distances, gentle climbs, and plenty of spots to stop, snack and explore. Best of all, you don’t have to travel far - the wild is right on Hobart’s doorstep.
Octopus Tree, Kunanyi/Mount Wellington (image: Luke Tscharke)
JANET’S POND WALK
Knocklofty Reserve is a natural oasis in the heart of Hobart. We love visiting the ‘Frog Ponds’ and listening to the gentle calls of the local amphibians, who are most active early in the mornings and evenings.
Begin at the Forest Road carpark, and follow the Knocklofty Main Fire Trail to Janet’s Pond, taking a break along the way to play in the bush cubbies made by other families. As you walk, look up - you might see a pair of tawny frogmouths nestled together in the fork of a tree.
Have more time, or kids who need to burn off energy? Let them explore the beautiful single track to the summit (a further 1.5 kilometres one way).
Distance: 1.4km return
Suggested time: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy, well-formed fire trail
Getting there: Forest Road, West Hobart
Fur kids: permitted on-lead
New Town Rivulet
NEW TOWN RIVULET
Though it’s only a 10-minute drive from the city, this walk is the perfect wild escape. Let the sound of moving water soothe you as you wander beside the rivulet, and consider packing swimmers and a picnic - there’s plenty of rock pools where you can stop to enjoy a dip, or a slip down the natural water slides. Bring buckets for the kids and a book for yourself.
Begin at Ancanthe Park in Lenah Valley, where you’ll find parking, toilets, and the Lady Franklin Gallery (open on weekends). Cross the bridge and let the kids explore the low stone labyrinth, then follow the rivulet upstream until you reach the edge of Wellington Park. Look for small trout and, if you’re lucky, you might spot a platypus.
To make this a full-day adventure, you can continue up-hill on the Main Fire Trail to Wellington Falls (a further two kilometres one way).
Distance: 2.5km one way
Suggested time: 3 hours (with stops)
Difficulty: easy, pram-friendly, well-graded gravel track
Getting there: 268 Lenah Valley Road, Lenah Valley
Fur kids: permitted on-lead
Kunanyi/Mount Wellington
SPHINX ROCK AND THE OCTOPUS TREE LOOP
Hobart’s Kunanyi/Mount Wellington is a bushwalker’s wonderland, and features plenty of easy and accessible walks. Our favourite is a loop track with spectacular views, cool mossy forest … and just a little bit of magic.
Begin at the Springs, halfway up Pinnacle Road, where you’ll find parking, toilets, barbeques and Lost Freight café. Then follow the Lenah Valley Track towards Sphinx Rock, a rock platform overlooking Hobart. There’s a safety gate and clear signage, but you may decide to skip the lookout if you have younger kids.
You can return the same way, or - in the case of high energy levels - continue via the Lower Sawmill Track and onto the Shoobridge Track until you reach the magical Octopus Tree. The kids will love playing make-believe around this ancient eucalyptus with roots that curl like tentacles.
Return to the Springs via the North South Track, and reward the kids with a sweet treat at the café.
Distance: 3km loop
Suggested time: 3 hours (with stops)
Difficulty: easy, with some stone steps and exposed sections
Getting there: Pinnacle Road, Wellington Park
Fur kids: permitted on-lead to Octopus tree, but not permitted on North South Track - return via Shoobridge Track
SHAG BAY
Step into history on this beautiful coastal trail along Hobart’s eastern shore. Walk under the slender leaves of sheoak trees, and imagine a time long ago when the Tasmanian Aboriginal people came here to rest, gather shellfish, and make tools.
Begin at Debomfords Lane in Geilston Bay, where you’ll find parking, a playground, and toilets, then follow the trail along the foreshore to a grassy headland. Curious little minds will enjoy exploring the gathering circle and fire pit. Interpretation panels and artworks along the trail share the area’s deep history, and a side track will take you to Bedlam Wall Cave - an Aboriginal midden. Take care to follow signage, as this track may be closed at times.
Continue downhill to Shag Bay to enjoy a picnic on the rocks. The kids will love exploring the old boiler, a remnant of an early 20th-century fertilising plant, as you watch birds dive for fish and rays of golden light fall on Kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
If you’re keen to keep going, climb the steep hill on the other side of the bay for gorgeous views over Hobart’s western shore.
Distance: 3.8km return
Suggested time: 1-2 hours return (with stops)
Difficulty: easy, mostly flat
Getting there: Debomfords Lane, Geilston Bay
Fur kids: not permitted on final section of the track, in the East Risdon Reserve
