Nestled on the banks of the river Derwent and in the shadow of Mound Wellington, Hobart is a refreshing mix of historic sandstone buildings, farmers markets, art districts, and world class restaurants. Tasmania's capital has become a mecca for both adventurers and connoisseurs of fine food and wine, despite being Australia's least populated capital city. 

Hobart is also a gateway to antarctic research, with easy access for ships to the Southern Ocean, and the airport services Casey Station. While here, I was lucky enough to catch the Aurora Australis research vessel in port. She's a visually striking ship, bright orange against the white ships moored next to her.

I found the Salamanca Markets a particular treat. With 300 stallholders selling everything you could dream of, there's sure to be something there for everybody. 

The Museum of Old and New Art, most commonly known as MONA, can be accessed my road or water. I chose the latter, and was rewarded with an unmatched view of Hobart and surrounds - definitely worth the ferry ticket price. The experience of MONA itself definitely lived up to the hype, and highly recommended. I won't share images from inside the galleries out of respect for the artist's copyright, but there were some folks doing some gravity-defying parkour outside. 

Click here to go to my blog about the stunning Cape Raoul hike, or to read about Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula go here. 

You can get information on MONA here, or read more about the Historic city of Hobart here.