January 2020

Our birthdays are only 4 days apart so back in 2009 we decided that in lieu of really fancy gifts we would divert some of the attention and money to a trip away to celebrate. Our first trip was to New York – in the January snow. Continuing on this tradition in January 2020 we decided it was time to go back to Tasmania, our first trip back since 2015.

Our first trip had been a bit of a highlights package – Hobart, Launceston, Bay of Fires, Port Arthur. This time the main focus was to do the Three Capes Track – a 4 day coastal hike across one of the remotest parts of the world. Bookings wise we had a few days before that so there was time to fit in some touristy things.

We flew into Hobart after work so the first evening was spent trying out a recommendation for a late dinner – a wine bar near the marina of called Franklin. It was modern Australian cuisine with some great wine and setting reminiscent of Manhattan.

Salamanca Markets

On our first full morning we walked back down to the waterfront. Next to the marina is a very picturesque square surrounded by dozens of sandstone buildings. These used to be warehouses and admin buildings to support Hobart port and its bustling whaling industry but today they are a collection of restaurants, cafes, shops and apartments collectively called Salamanca Place. Named to honour the victory in 1812 of the Duke of Wellington over the forces of Napoleon at the Battle of Salamanca in Spain.

Every Saturday it plays host to a sprawling city of stalls, street performers and traders of the Salamanca Markets. It is a huge market with all manner of locally produced goods – cheese, bread, increasingly gin, whisky, craft beer and vodka as well as food vendors. A far way from it’s humble beginnings in the 1970s with just 12 stalls to the near 300 today.

While its size can be a little off putting its a gentle atmosphere. A lot of the vendors dress up – from the ‘Peaky Blinder’ inspired gin sellers to the lady at the sweet stall who was dressed like Little Miss Muffin.

Mona Roma and Mona Visit

After lunch and some shopping in the markets we decided to re-visit the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) but this time instead of driving out there we would take an alternate route.

Operating from a nearby terminal – the MONA Roma boat takes you out into the Derwent River and upstream to Berriedale peninsula, after travelling under the impressive Tasman bridge which connects Hobart to the airport and beyond. You also get a good view of Mount Wellington from the water here. It is an experience in it’s own right with sleek decors, animal statue seats and wine bar to help you enjoy the trip to the museum.

As we covered in our last visit the collection is rather dark and ‘interesing’ with the owner – businessman and professional gambler David Walsh describing it as a “subversive adult Disneyland”. 

The museum really sneaks up on you as it looks like a single storey structure on top of the peninsula but underneath are 3 huge levels that sprawl out under the soil. Part of the allure is this non-linear structure.

It is updated regularly and new features such as a winery, craft brewery and restaurants are added to the estate to make no two visits the same. They also now have an app – called the O App – that allows you to scan exhibits to find out more information and plan your route through the labyrinth of floors, rooms and tunnels that make up the museum.

Some of the more prominent pieces are the large Snake Mural that dominates one of the walls. It’s the largest piece of Australian artwork and is done by Sidney Nolan (who is actually more well known as a painter). It provides a real example of ‘Dichotomy of Man’ that Nolan’s other famous work – a series of traditional oil paintings of Ned Kelly are housed in the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra while this modern work lives underground in the MONA. Another is simply titled ‘Fat Car’ – a fat red replica car by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm. Its fascinating that this is an actual car that is covered in plastic to create the bloating effect.

The best new feature was a Moo Brew Roulette machine in the basement bar. Yum.

In two days we would pick up our rental car for our road trip through the heart of Tasmania and up to the foot of Cradle Mountain National Park. Before that we had an island tour booked.