The 5 best parks in Hobart

Just ten minutes by car from Hobart’s CBD, you’ll find Waterworks Reserve, the city’s main water supply among the gum trees. Open to visitors every day of the year, this charming spot includes barbecue areas, a playground for kids and plenty of trails to discover. Lace up your walking shoes for the short but sweet Reservoir Circuit, a 2.6-kilometre loop through bush and parklands where you’re bound to spot wildlife around every corner. This West Hobart oasis is also within tempting proximity of many cosy cafés, including Bear With Me and Ginger Brown. Gather some baked goods and your closest pals, and roll out the blanket for a picnic to rule them all.

Aside from the memorial walls made of old tombstones, you’d never know St David’s Park was once the site of Hobart’s first cemetery. Nowadays, it's a serene section of parkland right in the heart of the city. Tucked away between city streets and the famed Salamanca Markets, this historic site is a small slice of nature within close proximity to both the waterfront and city centre. Pop down for a stroll on your lunch break or your next visit to the markets, and find a shady spot beneath the towering trees. Be sure to swing by the park’s rotunda where, on any given day, you might stumble upon musical performances, poetry readings or even a wedding.

Start your day off right with a visit to Simmons Park, where you’ll find workout and play equipment for all ages. Tire out the little ones with the choice between swings, carousels or a giant climbing pyramid. Or, test the little gymnast in them with balance beams and a trampoline. Parents can watch on from a shady spot on the grass or get a workout in themselves using the nearby fitness equipment. You’ll find everything you need with a leg press, aerobic cycle, chest press, elliptical trainer and body twist available. While this waterfront spot is the perfect excuse to get the kids unplugged and out in nature, good luck getting them to leave. 

Cascade Gardens sits at the foothills of the picturesque kunanyi/Mount Wellington. While it makes for a stellar picnic spot, you can follow the walking track along the Hobart Rivulet through the inner suburb of South Hobart and all the way to the city centre. This trek is more of a stroll, but if you work up an appetite, double back to the nearby Cascades Brewery for a traditional pub meal and a few cold ones. The 200-year-old landmark – which is in fact Australia’s oldest brewery – backs onto the gardens and offers historic tours where you can learn all about the history of the brewery and grounds.  

This regional West Hobart park is big, peaceful and oh-so green. Known by locals as the ‘Train Park’ due to its history as the site of an old traction engine, the machinery may be long gone but the name has stuck around. In the years since, new train-themed amenities have been added to the playground, including an actual kid-sized train and a pathway with painted railway tracks. Older kids can have some fun on the big slides while grown-ups can busy themselves with the undercover barbecue facilities and tables.