← Hobart Marathon·Day trip

Mona: Hobart's Museum by the River

A seated half-hour ferry up the Derwent from beside the marathon course to Tasmania's most talked-about museum, open on the Monday after the race.

DurationDay trip
TransitMona ferry, about 30 min from Brooke Street Pier
DepartsBrooke Street Pier, Hobart

After the Hobart Marathon: Mona by Ferry

The Route: Brooke Street Pier → Mona → Brooke Street Pier Logistics: Mona ferry both ways. An out-and-back river trip with no driving and no hills to reach the boat. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Brooke Street Pier ──(about 30 mins Mona ferry, River Derwent)──> Mona, Berriedale
        ▲                                                              │
        └──────────────────(about 30 mins return ferry)────────────────┘

The Hobart Marathon finishes on Castray Esplanade, and Brooke Street Pier sits on Franklin Wharf, the stretch of waterfront runners pass four times during the race. On the Monday after, it is a flat walk of a few minutes from most central hotels.

April in Hobart: this is the start of autumn, and Mona's busy summer timetable has already ended. Outside the peak season, which runs from early December to the end of March, the museum ferry makes about eight departures a day from Brooke Street Pier, starting at 09:15 and with the last outbound boat around 16:30. Mona opens Thursday to Monday and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so the day after a Sunday race is one of the days it is open. Mornings on the river can be cool; take a layer for the deck.

The ferry takes about 30 minutes and costs from about A$30 (£16) return, with a return fare costing the same as a one-way. Museum entry is separate, around A$39 (£21) for visitors from outside Tasmania, and uses timed entry slots, so book both together on the Mona website before travelling. A small booking fee applies. The upper-deck Posh Pit ticket costs more and adds a lounge and drinks.

The Museum

Mona sits on a peninsula in Berriedale, on the western bank of the Derwent north of the city centre. The ferry docks at its own jetty, and the first thing to know on post-marathon legs is that the building runs downwards into the sandstone. There are stairs from the jetty up to the entrance, then a spiral staircase or a lift down into the galleries. The lift is the sensible choice. The lower deck of the ferry and a tunnel entrance give step-free access for anyone who needs it.

Inside, the galleries are dim, cool and spread across several levels. A thorough visit means two to three hours of slow walking and standing, which is more than it sounds after a marathon. Plan to sit down between rooms, and treat the museum as a morning or an afternoon rather than both.

Around the Grounds

The grounds outside the museum include lawns, a winery cellar door and places to eat looking across the river. The lawn areas are the easiest place on the site to sit for an hour between gallery visits without climbing anything.

Ferries return to Brooke Street Pier through the afternoon. Check the last departure when booking, because outside the summer timetable the choice of return boats is smaller, and a missed ferry means a taxi back to the city.