The 9 Best Day Trips You Can Take From Hobart Right Now
As a small city in a small state, Tasmania's capital punches well above its weight, but there’s plenty more to see, do and eat with the help of four wheels and a day. Within two hours in any direction, you’ll find ancient forests, world-class wine, beautiful coastline, and towns that feel completely untouched. Here's where to point the car.
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Wineglass Bay (image: Roady)
BRUNY ISLAND
The ferry crossing from southern Hobart’s Kettering to Roberts Point at the northern tip of Bruny Island sets the tone - there’s just something about leaving the Tasmanian mainland behind that shifts your headspace entirely. Once on Bruny, the agenda writes itself: oysters straight from the water at Get Shucked, a walk out to The Neck to watch fairy penguins, and a slow drive down the South Bruny coast. Pack a cooler. You'll want to bring half the island home with you.
THE HUON VALLEY
Apple orchards, cider trails, and the kind of roadside produce stalls that make you question why you ever grocery shop - the Huon Valley has it all. Stop in at Willie Smith's for a tasting paddle, pick up unique sheep cheese at Grandvewe, and finish with a walk along the Huon River as the light goes golden. It's Tasmania at its most quietly abundant.
PORT ARTHUR
Yes, it's a historic site, but it's also one of the most dramatically beautiful places in the state. Port Arthur’s convict ruins sit against a genuinely breathtaking harbour, and the surrounding Tasman Peninsula is a trove of sea cliffs, blowholes and coastal walks that most visitors miss entirely. Do the ghost tour if you're staying late.
FREYCINET PENINSULA
The drive up the east coast is reward enough, but Freycinet itself raises it by delivering one of Australia's great views in the shape of Wineglass Bay, seen from the saddle lookout after a solid 45-minute climb. Serious walkers can continue down to the beach itself for longer circuits or multi-day treks.
MOUNT FIELD NATIONAL PARK
Temperate rainforest, Russell Falls, and - in Winter - a ski field that feels like it belongs in another era entirely: welcome to Mount Field. The short walk to the falls is one of the best easy hikes in Tassie, with up-close access to a spectacular three-tiered cascade an almost undeserved gift. This is the Tasmania that makes you feel small in the best possible way.
RICHMOND
A 25-minute drive from Hobart and a step back into the 1800s, Richmond’s main street is an invitation to while away several hours, while the surrounding Coal River Valley is becoming one of the state’s most interesting wine regions. Lunch at a cellar door, a visit to Australia’s oldest sandstone bridge, and a browse through the galleries - day trip nailed.
THE THREE CAPES
For those seeking more than a stroll, the Three Capes track covers almost 50 kilometres, plenty of elevation, and some of the most dramatic sea cliff scenery on the planet. While it will take multiple days to traverse all three capes, Capes Hauy and Raoul make for doable - though challenging - day hikes that will make you reconsider your screen time.
COCKLE CREEK
The end of the road - literally. Cockle Creek the southernmost point you can drive to in Australia, so pack a lunch, allow more time than you think you’ll need, and sit with the fact that the next landmass south is Antarctica. There are also good short walks from here into Southwest National Park if you want to stretch your legs before the drive back.
NEW NORFOLK
Underrated and under-visited (in our opinion), New Norfolk is having a quiet moment. The Agrarian Kitchen - one of Australia's best farm-to-table restaurants - is tucked away here, along with a growing cluster of quality antique shops, the Derwent River, and a town that still feels local rather than tourist-facing. Book the Agrarian well ahead. Then wander.
