From Launceston, the next logical step in your Tasmania road trip will be paying a visit to the capital city of Hobart. Half the fun, though, is traveling between these locations due to the spectrum of natural treasures found in between! Take the Freycinet National Park, for example, where dolphin watching from Hazards Beach and wandering red-necked wallabies await newcomers furnished with a Hobart car rental! Not far from the city center is also Mount Field National Park renowned for its temperate rainforests, local fauna such as bandicoots and echidnas, in addition to a series of tranquil waterfalls.
Once arriving in Hobart, certainly one of the first things that visitors will appreciate is the scenic view of Mount Wellington perpetually lingering on the horizon. Known as Kunanyi in the local aboriginal language, this peak will provide an unbeatable vantage point of Hobart and its vicinity. With an elevation gain of 91 meters, the 1.9 kilometer loop trail is also partially paved and kid friendly.
If hiking isn’t exactly your forte, rest assured that your Hobart car rental can take Pinnacle Road up to the summit. History connoisseurs may also appreciate paying a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Port Arthur, the town and former convict settlement situated 60 miles (97 kilometers) from Hobart. According to UNESCO, Port Arthur and its collective Gothic-style buildings are “the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts.” Among the most popular structures is the medieval-looking neo-Gothic convict church.
Another well-known nature activity to do with a Hobart car hire is stopping by the Inverawe Native Gardens, the largest landscaped native garden in Tasmania. Just 15 minutes outside of Hobart, this is where newcomers can breathe in the fresh air on 22 acres of native plants, not to mention over 100 bird species roaming about the grounds. Other popular local activities include shopping for artisan crafts at Salamanca Market or visiting the local botanical garden or seeing an indoor or outdoor exhibition at the trendy Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).