Free things to do · Hobart · Australia
8 free things to do in Hobart
Hobart without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Hobart without paying an entry fee: Salamanca Market, kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Salamanca Place and Battery Point and Arthur Circus are all free. TMAG, the Botanical Gardens, the mountain and Salamanca Market are all free.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 4
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- August
Free sights and experiences
Market · Salamanca
1.Salamanca Market
Arrive before 10am for the produce stalls and space to move, then climb Kelly's Steps to Battery Point for coffee.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Kids
Viewpoint · Wellington Park
2.kunanyi/Mount Wellington
Bring warm, windproof layers even in summer; the summit can be 10°C colder than the waterfront, and the road can close after snow.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
Historic site · Salamanca
3.Salamanca Place
Walk through the arched lanes into the Salamanca Arts Centre courtyard, which most visitors miss.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- After dark
Neighbourhood · Battery Point
4.Battery Point and Arthur Circus
Walk up Kelly's Steps from Salamanca, loop through Arthur Circus and come down via Princes Park for river views.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
Museum · Waterfront and CBD
5.Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Head first to the thylacine displays and the palawa gallery, then leave time for the colonial art upstairs.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
- Kids
- Art
Garden · Queens Domain
6.Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Visit the Subantarctic Plant House on a warm day for a cool, misty contrast, then picnic on the lawns above the river.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
Market · Waterfront and CBD
7.Farm Gate Market
Come hungry and early for pastries and coffee, and ask growers which fruit is in season that week.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Nature · South Hobart
8.Hobart Rivulet Track
Start at the Collins Street end near Molle Street and walk uphill to the brewery, which is the more scenic direction.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours return
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Salamanca | Salamanca Market and Salamanca Place | 2 hours + 1 hour |
| Wellington Park | kunanyi/Mount Wellington | 2–3 hours |
| Battery Point | Battery Point and Arthur Circus | 1–2 hours |
| Waterfront and CBD | Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and Farm Gate Market | 2 hours + 1 hour |
| Queens Domain | Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens | 1.5–2 hours |
| South Hobart | Hobart Rivulet Track | 1.5 hours return |
Worth a small ticket
Waterfront · Waterfront and CBD
Constitution Dock and the fish punts
Eat flathead and chips on the dock wall, keeping an eye on the gulls, then walk to Mawson's Huts Replica Museum next door.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Historic site · South Hobart
Cascades Female Factory
Book the guided tour or performance rather than wandering alone; the empty yards make much more sense with the stories.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
Museum · Waterfront and CBD
Mawson's Huts Replica Museum
Ask the volunteer guides about the expedition's survival story; it adds a lot to the small space.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Historic site · Taroona
Shot Tower, Taroona
Pair it with Kingston Beach, about ten minutes further south, on a drive towards the Huon Valley or Bruny Island ferry.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
More ways to save
- TMAG, the Botanical Gardens, the mountain and Salamanca Market are all free.
- Pick up picnic supplies at Farm Gate or Salamanca Market rather than eating every meal out.
- Winter outside Dark Mofo has the lowest hotel rates of the year.
- A Parks and Wildlife Service holiday pass covers entry to national parks such as Mount Field if you plan several park visits.
- Book hire cars early for December to February, when supply runs short.
- Fish and chips from the punts is one of the best-value seafood meals in the city.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hobart expensive to visit?
Hobart is expensive for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Hobart?
Salamanca Market: Arrive before 10am for the produce stalls and space to move, then climb Kelly's Steps to Battery Point for coffee.