Hobart Runnymede Tours and Activities

Though Australia as a country is relatively young when compared to the rest of the world, Hobart as a city is relatively old when compared to the rest of Australia. This scenic port town on the island of Tasmania is Australia’s second oldest city, and at Runnymede just north of town, visitors can walk through a domestic time portal to a Tasmanian era long gone.

Originally constructed around 1836 for Tasmania’s very first lawyer, the Runnymede House is a fascinating look at 19th-century Tasmania. Though an Anglican Bishop also lived in the house, it took the name “Runnymede” when a salty ship captain—Charles Bayley—bought the house and subsequently named it after his favorite boat. For 100 years the Bayley family lived in the humble homestead, and since the furniture and belongings are such prime examples of middle-class living at the time, the house is administered by the Australian National Trust as a well-preserved window to the past.

On a guided tour of the Runnymede House, hear tales of how settlers and early citizens spent their days in Tasmania, and learn how the house now plays a role in marine conservation and protection.