Travel Guide > Oceania > Australia > Tasmania > Hobart
Hobart, the capital of Tasmania and Australia's smallest state capital is a charming harbour city. It is Australia's seond oldest cities, founded in 1803 as a penal colony. Hobart lies at the foot of Mt Wellington and on the banks of the Derwent River. The waterfront areas Macquarie Wharf, Constitution Dock, Salamanca Place and Battery Point are just gorgeous with their Georgian buildings and the looming presence of Mount Wellington in the background. The locals are very relaxed, super friendly and have none of the snobbery of Sydney and Melbourne inhabitants.
The climate is extremely variable with high fluctuations in temperature and wind speed during the average week.
Summer lasts from December to February and has an average maximum temperature at sea level of 21 °C. Winter lasts from June to August with an average maximum temperature at sea level of 12 °C. Still, it can be around 35 °C on some summer days and below zero during some winternights.
Although rain is possible in every month, the wintermonths of June to August tend to be somewhat wetter.
Hobart International Airport (HBA) is located 20km east of the city and services flights to and from other airports in Tasmania and the rest of Australia. While it's called an 'international' airport, it has not served a regular international flight since the early 1990s.
The five main airlines flying to Hobart International Airport are:
Getting from the airport to the city:
To get to the city centre from the airport, you can drive along the Tasman Highway. The city is on the opposite side of the Derwent River. Alternatively, you can catch a taxi or take the Airporter Shuttle Bus, which costs $12.50 one-way for an adult.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart Apartments | 369 Brooker Avenue/Highway Hobart Lutana Tasmania | Apartment | 70 |
| Hobart Hostel | 41 Barrack Street, Hobart, 7000 Corner Barrack and Goulburn Streets | Hostel | 75 |
| Hollydene Lodge | 67 Liverpool Street | Hostel | 52 |
| The Central City Backpackers | 138 Collins Street | Hostel | 79 |
| The Pickled Frog | 281 Liverpool St Tasmania | Hostel | 72 |
| Transit Backpackers | 1st Floor, Hobart Transit Centre 199 Colins St | Hostel | 78 |
See also: International Telephone Calls
Australia is on a GSM 900/1800 network, so if you have an unlocked phone that works on those frequencies, you will be able to buy a prepaid SIM-card and stick into your phone when you're in Hobart. You will receive a new Australian phone number with the SIM-card.
To dial out of Australia use the prefix 0011, followed by the calling code of the country you are trying to reach, followed by the area code of the city/town (without the 0!) and finally the phone number.
Within Australia, it is necessary to add an area code to the phone numbers if you are calling from outside the area.
Hobart's area code is 03, which is the same for all of Victoria and Tasmania. If dialing interstate, use one of the following area codes.
02 - New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory (Sydney, Canberra)
07 - Queensland (Brisbane)
08 - Western Australia, South Australia & Northern Territory (Perth, Adelaide, Darwin)
000 is the emergency telephone number in Australia, but the international GSM mobile emergency telephone number 112 also works on mobile phones.
Australia Post is the government's postal service. Most suburbs will have at least one post office. A standard letter or postcard sent within Australia will cost $0.50. Internationally, it costs $1.25 (to other Asia-Pacific countries) or $1.85 (rest of the world). It is also possible to send things as parcels or by express mail.
This is version 11. Last edited at 15:23 on Nov 18, 09 by Utrecht (+121). 6 articles link to this page.

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