Hi, and welcome to my blog, where I document and discuss my life as a photographer, writer, podcast host, Papa, and partner. Today’s blog is part two of sorts, as I recently travelled to Tasmania (Australia) with my partner, The Doctor. The first half of our trip was spent in Launceston shopping, spending time with family, and getting out and about to explore the city with my clever photography friend, Bruce Moyle. If you haven’t read it yet, please take a moment to catch up with Hitting The Streets Of Launceston With Bruce Moyle. The Launceston blog documents our first few days in the Apple Isle of Australia, where we mostly spent time catching up with The Doc’s family, who all live in Launceston. On the morning of the third day of our trip, The Doc’s Da dropped us at the Launceston bus depot, where we caught the coach from Launceston in the north of Tasmania, down to Hobart in the state’s south. The bus ride took around two hours before we stepped off in the middle of Hobart’s CBD. Hobart, with a population of around 260,000, is very different from Launceston, with its smaller population of 87,000. While it’s a long way off my hometown of Melbourne’s 5.5 million-strong head count, there’s still a level of hustle and bustle in Hobart.

This is not my first trip to Hobart, as I have visited the city many times throughout the years. My first trip took place when I was around 12 years old, touring Tasmania with my parents on a road trip. We had brought the car with us on the car/passenger ferry from Melbourne to Devonport in the state’s north. And then, years later, I travelled to Tasmania with my wife Isobel, first when she was pregnant with our son, and later when she was pregnant with our daughter. Finally, I have been to Hobart more recently when visiting friends. I have a lot of love for Hobart and Tasmania, and I have many fond memories of time spent with family and friends. But as this was The Doc and my first time in Hobart together, we decided to make the most of the opportunity.

After a Japanese lunch in the heart of Hobart, The Doc and I made our way to Salamanca, where our hotel was located. Salamanca is a gorgeous part of Hobart with a long history. Established in the 1830’s as a maritime and whaling port, many of the iconic harbourside sandstone warehouses are still standing. Given its location next to the River Derwent, Salamance is home port to Australia’s Antarctic exploration fleet, countless gift, craft, and souvenir stores, and even more eateries and seafood restaurants – many of which sit on pontoons along the harbour. Our accommodation, Moss Hotel, was situated in the heart of Salamanca, skillfully nestled inside one of those original sandstone warehouses. It was a clever mix of old and new architecture. Right outside the hotel door, the busy tourist destination buzzed day and night (there is a pub underneath our hotel), but within the walls of our gorgeous modern room, it was all peace and quiet. That first night, we opted to pick up some local goodies from Salamanca Fresh Battery Point, located within the same building, and enjoy a little in-room picnic.

The next morning, we rose to a bright and sunny day and made our way to a local cafe (with strong Fitzroy Melbourne vibes) for a great coffee before making our way to Brooke Street Pier for a day of whimsical art and amazing food! We were heading to Hobart’s amazing Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)! Founded and funded by art-loving Hobart local, David Walsh, MONA is a mind-blowing artistic statement literally carved into the earth and packed with some of the most amazing art and design you will find on the planet. We mainlanders had to buy tickets, but for Tassie locals, it’s free. While the 16 Hectare site, located around 15km north of central Hobart, is accessible by car or public (road) transport, there’s a much cooler way to arrive in style! In fact, MONA encourages you to leave the car at home!

MONA operates a pair of large, fast, camouflaged power catamarans (one in gold tones and the other in black tones), known as MONA Roma 1 and 2. The powered catamarans are so much more than your standard mode of ferry transportation. The inside of each Roma is well furnished and decorated with art, while offering travellers unique seating options, including scale-sized sheep statues intended as seats on one of the rear elevated decks. There are also bars and an exclusive Posh Room for those who opted for a private lounge, bar, and access to fancy snacks. The Doc and I wanted to be on the rear deck to watch the vast River Derwent flow behind us during our 30-minute journey to the MONA dock. I took a lot of photos during that river journey while we both marvelled at the landscapes and the housing lining the hills along the river’s edge. Upon arriving at MONA, our first experience was walking (slowly) up the 99 steps cut into the bluff above. Once up on the elevated site, we could freely explore the exterior architecture and large-scale sculptures dotted throughout the museum’s incredible grounds. It’s a jaw-dropping experience just to explore the site’s exterior spaces. So much thought and artistic intention have been built into every element of the design, architecture, and landscaping! And we haven’t even entered the main museum yet.

Upon opening, we entered MONA through the giant reflective entrance and opted to first inspect the museum shop with it’s locally sourced crafts, products, clothing, jewellry, and some more expensive art pieces. Once we had earmarked some items we would pick up later, we made our way to the glass elevator, located within a glass shaft surrounded by a spiral staircase, down into the Triassic Sandstone that was cut from the earth to form most of the museum. That’s right! MONA is mostly underground and the design and the construction of the valuted spaces is a marvel in itself. We exited the lift on the lowest floor and begun our exploration of one of the most amazing art spaces on the planet. I’m not going to go into detail about all the exhibitions, space, and experiences. You really have to see MONA and feel it for yourself. But it is fair to say that the massive subteranean spaces offer a unique and whymsical art experience like no other. The Doc and I took our time exploring each space often interconnected to the next space via long tunnels, stairways, and walkways. The lighting was sublime and as such, I documented our time with lots and lots and lots of images.

Given that The Doc and I were on holiday, we pre-booked lunch at FARO Bar + Restaurant, but had little to no expectations. We had an unforgettable dining experience in one of the most remarkable locations. Again, I won’t go into detail as I believe and support the idea that dining at FARO has to be seen to be believed. But even the entry to FARO offers a surreal and baffling art experience that toys with your perception of reality and the surreal. FARO offers an incredible range of small-plate meals expertly designed, prepared, and cooked by executive chef Vince Trim. Each plate, expertly introduced by our wonderful and dedicated wait staff member, was a feast for the senses well before it became a feast for our bellies! Throughout our dining experience, we were entertained by live music and a wandering artist using mime to perform, beckon, and delight every guest in the room. FARO Bar + Restaurant, suspended over the River Derwent, is an architectural marvel with floor-to-ceiling glass, vaulted ceilings, and a two-storey-tall perfect sphere housing an art experience for the willing and able. I was so enamoured with our shared experience that time seemed to stop as The Doc and I delighted in every element of our time in FARO. Oh, and the food was next-level amazing, too! Definitely in the top three meals I have ever had!

With our dining experience complete, the Doctor and I finished navigating the MONA spaces before returning to the museum shop to pick up a few choice pieces as mementos. The Doc and I need very little convincing to buy art and interesting objects to decorate our home with. Before long, it was time to make our way back to the MONA dock before boarding MONA Roma and watching the passing scenery on our return trip to Salamanca and the sanctuary of our freshly made-up hotel room. We were both exhausted from the day of exploring MONA, so that night we dined on delivery pizza and recounted some of our best moments from the day. The next day would be our last in Tasmania, and by then we both wished we had booked a longer stay! We were finally feeling the benefits of being on holiday.

Our final morning in Hobart afforded us a slow start to the day with a late checkout. Upon leaving our hotel, we stepped into the massive and busy weekly Salamanca Market. I recall attending the same market years ago with my folks and later with my late wife, Isobel. The Salamanca Market is an art, craft, and food market that spans almost the entire length of Salamanca Place. The day was warm and sunny, with the crowds quickly swelling. We walked the length of the market before looping around behind Salamanca and into Battery Point. We walked and talked, pointing out interesting architecture, shops, and public spaces. It was such a relaxing time as we returned from Battery Point (Hobart’s oldest intact historic site) to pick up our suitcase at the hotel. We were both tired, foot-sore, and getting hangry, so we grabbed an outdoor table at Customs House Hotel Restaurant, where we devoured a seafood meal and watched the world go by.

Before long,g it was time to jump in an Uber and make our way to Hobart International Airport. Our time in Tasmania had come to an end, and we both regretted not booking more time to explore Launceston and Hobart. Next time. Despite only being a handful of days, we had such an amazing time in both Launceston, visiting family and friends, and Hobart, exploring and experiencing all that’s on offer. Our flight home to Melbourne gave us time to reflect on the time we spent together on this trip. I love travelling with The Doc as we both share an interest in amazing food, art, and artistic experiences. In that respect, Tasmania more than delivered. All images were taken with the Fujifilm X-E5 and the Fujinon XF 23mm F1.4 R WR LM prime lens. The combo was ideal for travel and, paired with the Lucky Straps Slim 30 Leather Camera Strap, I carried it at all times, ready to document the world around me. Be safe. G

PS. If you’re looking for a premium leather camera strap, head to Lucky Straps and use Code: Greg at checkout for a cheeky discount. G