48 loved up hours in Hobart

Hobart is the perfect destination for the romantically inclined. This charming southern gem will delight you with its beauty and history, and many modern hidden treasures.

Not sure where to start? Don’t panic. We’ve got you covered for an unforgettable couple’s getaway that won’t break the bank.

Friday 1pm

You’ve just landed and are keen to get out and explore the city, but you can’t do it on an empty stomach.

Welcome to Hobart

Head straight to the heart of the action at Mures, a Tasmanian institution since 1973. Renowned for their fresh seafood, there’s something for everyone, from traditional fish and chips at Lower Deck to the extravagant indulgence at Pearl + Co.

Friday 2.30pm

Hunger sated — for now — you stroll hand in hand to the surprisingly engaging Mawson’s Hut replica museum and thrill to the fantastic adventures told by an experienced Antarctic explorer.

Your adventurous spirits roused, you decide the only solution is to warm yourselves with spirits of the local variety.

Friday 4pm

With so much fresh local produce you’ll be spoiled for choice, so be ready to eat — and drink. From locally brewed, crisp beers to delicious Tasmanian wine and award-winning whiskey available in a range of distilleries, there’s no shortage of refreshing ways to imbibe during your stay.

It’s a short walk to a world of wonderful whisky at Lark Distillery. Even on a budget, it’s worth a visit to Lark’s Cellar Door to sample the wares and gaze in wonder at the sumptuous libations on offer.

Ready for more? Stroll down to the Telegraph Hotel. This corner venue is notorious for rowdy nights but is lively and pleasant in the late afternoon sunshine. Take advantage of happy hour for $10 steins, $5 shots and $10 cocktails and move on before it becomes too crowded.

Friday night fun — 7pm

Rektango is a weekly musical extravaganza held in the beautiful Salamanca courtyard. Framed by sandstone facades, it’s a stunningly beautiful place to spend a Friday evening.

Rektango – embrace the music

With anything from Latin rhythms to gypsy swing, the music is upbeat and intoxicating and the artistic, community vibe is uniquely Hobart.

Running every Friday night, this free event is not to be missed.

Friday 9pm

Inviting booths line the sandstone walls inside Waterman’s Beer Market. Get cosy and sample the huge range of beers and cheap, tasty pizza. Live music, a great atmosphere and friendly staff will make your night.

Friday 11pm

Head home for an early one, because you’ve got a big day ahead.

Saturday morning vibes — 9am

If the waterfront and Salamanca Place are the heart of Hobart, Elizabeth Street is its soul.

Get up early, don sensible shoes, and head to the bustling North Hobart shopping and restaurant district.

Beauty is everywhere you look in Hobart

Swoon over the gorgeous historic buildings, then visit berta for a hearty breakfast.

The healthy breakfast bowl will cure what ails you and provide you with the necessary fuel for the day ahead.

11am

Walk into town — don’t worry, it’s downhill all the way — and pop into the Salamanca markets. They’re busy, full of tourists, but they have an undeniable charm and are worth a look.

12pm — ferry ride + art!

No visit to Hobart is complete without a trip to MONA! Pre-book to save the hassle and trust that it’s worth paying extra for the return posh pit experience.

Not only will you ride in comfort, but you’ll love the mouth-watering canapés and free-flowing Moo Brew and Moorilla local wine.

Wrought iron artworks on the grounds of MONA

You’ll be there for hours. Delight in the ever-evolving world of art and, once you’ve soaked up all the culture you can handle, chill out on bean bags and savour a refreshing beverage in the beautiful grounds.

There’s something to intrigue you everywhere you look.

Saturday night- 6pm return ferry

Head to your Airbnb, hotel or room, get refreshed and head up to North Hobart for an old fashioned pub crawl.

Saturday 8pm — Elizabeth Street

Tackle a burger or share some snacks (Mexican street corn is a favourite of the locals) and relax in the Americana-style action at The Winston.

Wander down to the intimate surrounds of Raincheck bar, revel in the warmth of the Republic’s large beer garden and finish out the night in one of Hobart’s best kept secrets, Kaiju Can Bar.

Kaiju can bar, Elizabeth Street’s hidden gem

Just two minutes from your hotel, this hole in the wall is home to Hobart’s cheapest drinks and best music.

Sunday 10am

After checking out, pick up your elixir at Pilgrim coffee on Argyle Street and explore the picturesque surrounds of the University Rose Garden. It’s lovely, it’s free and it’s the perfect place to spend the last morning of your romantic getaway.

Sunday 12pm

One of the many great things about Hobart is its size — it’s so small that you can easily enjoy a stroll around town.

Be sure to venture upstairs for an incredible collection of British memorabilia

Marvel at the striking architecture, immerse yourself in its colonial history and share a traditional Sunday lunch in the grand upstairs dining room at one of Australia’s oldest pubs, the Hope & Anchor tavern.

After a weekend of indulging and exploring, you’ll head back to the mainland reluctant but full of love.

The Gatwick Hotel

This morning I read the sad news that St Kilda’s most infamous boarding house, The Gatwick Private Hotel, is likely to be sold off and turned into boutique accommodation.

The Gatwick is an institution. Despite the ongoing and relentless gentrification and slide into sterility that has been the fate of St Kilda for many years, The Gatwick has remained as a bastion of solace and refuge for those in need. Its doors were always open for those who were down on their luck. Many of the residents include the mentally ill, those with substance abuse issues, sex workers, runaways, drifters, and the homeless. For a time, my mother was one of them. She worked there when she lived on the street; she was given a place to stay when she had nothing and developed a strong affection for the owner and her family.

The hotel is notorious for its drug addicted clientele, many with long criminal histories and chequered pasts. The Gatwick is no stranger to violence either, with numerous homicides joining the overdose body count. On average, police and paramedics visit the hotel about 4-5 times a week.

For those with nowhere else to go, though, the Gatwick has been a place to call home. It offered a sense of permanence and stability to many people for whom the ground under their feet was always uncertain. And more than that, it gave them a strong sense of community.

The three-storey art deco style hotel was originally built as a luxury establishment for single men, and was used to house navy personnel between the world wars. It was taken over by Vicky Carbone and her family in the late 1950s and has operated as a boarding house since then. Now run by Rose and Yvette, two of Vicky’s daughters, The Gatwick provides a place of shelter to approximately 90 people at any one time. The residents are also linked to services such as the Salvation Army food van, which provides essential nutritious meals for the residents.

The hotel has been disparaged both privately and publicly over the years, with news outlets such as The Herald Sun running stories declaring it as a “festering flophouse fleapit in Fitzroy St that grows steadily more notorious as the rest of St Kilda grows rapidly more gentrified”. Yuppies want it gone – I lived in St Kilda for years and heard countless conversations from shiny-haired interlopers, wrinkling their noses in disgust at the ‘bums’ congregating out the front. Reviews on the Gatwick Facebook page urge for it to be shut down, pointing to instances of violence, drugs and prostitution.

What’s missing in all the calls for its removal are viable solutions. The owners were only able to take over the hotel through the provision of a $2.5 million dollar low interest loan from the State Government, which was conditional on the Gatwick to continue providing low-cost boarding house style accommodation to tenants who are eligible for public housing. When you shut it down, where do those people go? Rents in Victoria are out of control and there are currently 34,726 people on Victoria’s public housing list, with people waiting approximately 7 years to receive stable accommodation.

The owners of the Gatwick are now retiring after more than five decades of compassionately caring for those on whom society turns its backs. Together with their mother, Vicky, they have provided a safe haven for those in need. My mother always spoke of Vicky fondly. I met Rose and Ettie when I was a kid, and we stayed there for a time when I was 13. We had nowhere else to go and we made the most of it.

Sure, the lobby smelled like booze and cigarettes and the shared bathroom facilities were unappealing, but my mother always impressed upon me the importance of having ‘a roof over your head’.

I remember opening the cabinet above the corner sink and hearing the voices of those in the room below us increase in volume. My brother and I stood there, opening and shutting the doors, hearing the swearing and laughter below rise and fall with the movement and finding a sense of joy in it.

The Gatwick is far from perfect but it has made an indelible mark on St Kilda and all who sail in her.