Hope and Anchor Tavern

Last updated

Hope and Anchor Tavern
CG-Hope-and-Anchor Feb2015.jpg
Hope and Anchor Tavern
Former namesHope and Anchor Hotel
General information
Type Pub
Architectural style Georgian
Location Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Construction started1807
Completed1807
OwnerJohn Kelly (2023)

The Hope and Anchor Tavern [1] (formerly known as the Hope and Anchor Hotel, the Alexandra, the Whale Fishery, and simply the Hope) is a historic public house located in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It was established in 1807, and holds one of the oldest pub licenses in Australia. However, its claim to be the oldest continuously licensed pub is sometimes contested due to periods of closure. [2] [3]

Contents

History

The tavern has undergone several name changes since its opening, reflecting its connection to Hobart's maritime past. The establishment was originally a popular venue for sailors and traders arriving at Hobart's port. During the 19th century, it was known as the Whale Fishery, a name linked to the city’s role in the whaling industry during the colonial period. [4]

The building is an example of Georgian architecture, with many of its original features remaining intact. It has been referenced in several historical accounts, including the memoirs of Captain A.E. Sykes. [5] Over time, the tavern has undergone restoration efforts to maintain its structural integrity and historical appearance.

Ownership and restoration

In recent years, the pub has changed ownership multiple times. For many years, it was owned by Gunter Jaeger, who collected antiques and artefacts that are displayed inside the tavern. [6] In 2022, local businessman John Kelly, known for restoring heritage buildings such as Soundy’s Building and the State Cinema, purchased the property. Kelly became the licensee in February 2023. [7] His restoration plans include an archaeological dig on the adjoining vacant land, which could potentially uncover artefacts from Hobart's early colonial period. [8]

Heritage listing

The Hope and Anchor Tavern has been listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register since 1998. The listing recognises the tavern’s historical significance and its well-preserved Georgian design. [9] It remains a key attraction for both locals and visitors, contributing to Hobart’s heritage tourism.

Controversy over age

The Hope and Anchor Tavern is often referred to as Australia’s oldest pub, but this claim has been disputed by the Bush Inn in New Norfolk. The Bush Inn, established in 1815, has operated continuously since its opening, whereas the Hope and Anchor has experienced periods of closure while retaining its licence. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobart</span> Capital city of Tasmania, Australia

Hobart is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly half of Tasmania's population, Hobart is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-smallest by population and area after Darwin if territories are taken into account. Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre (4,170 ft) kunanyi / Mount Wellington, and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world, with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land. The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart, to differentiate it from the City of Hobart, one of the seven local government areas that cover the city. It has a mild maritime climate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmania</span> State of Australia

Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located 240 kilometres to the south of the Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world, and the surrounding 1000 islands. It is Australia's smallest and least populous state, with 573,479 residents as of June 2023. The state capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area. Tasmania is the most decentralised state in Australia, with the lowest proportion of its residents living within its capital city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Derwent (Tasmania)</span> River in south east Tasmania, Australia

The River Derwent, also known as timtumili minanya in palawa kani, is a significant river and tidal estuary in Tasmania, Australia. It begins its journey as a freshwater river in the Central Highlands at Lake St Clair, descending over 700 metres (2,300 ft) across a distance of more than 200 kilometres (120 mi). At the settlement of New Norfolk in the Derwent Valley its waters become brackish, flowing through Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, its seawater estuary eventually empties into Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Norfolk</span> Town in Tasmania, Australia

New Norfolk is a riverside town located on the River Derwent in southeastern Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1807, it is Tasmania’s fourth-oldest European settlement and ranks as the twelfth oldest in Australia. Initially founded by evacuees from Norfolk Island, New Norfolk has a population of 6,153 as of 2021 and serves as the main township of the Derwent Valley region. It lies 32 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of Hobart, along the Lyell Highway, and is encompassed within the Greater Hobart statistical area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrest Point Hotel Casino</span> Hotel and casino complex in Hobart, Tasmania

The Wrest Point Hotel Casino is a casino in Tasmania. It was Australia's first legal casino, opening in the suburb of Sandy Bay in Hobart, on 10 February 1973. The hotel tower is the tallest building in Hobart as well as Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascade Brewery</span> Oldest operating brewery in Australia

Cascade Brewery is a brewery established in 1824 in South Hobart, Tasmania, and is the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre Royal, Hobart</span> Historic theatre in Hobart, Tasmania

Theatre Royal is an historic performing arts venue in central Hobart, Tasmania. It is the oldest continually operating theatre in Australia; Noël Coward once called it "a dream of a theatre" and Laurence Olivier launched a national appeal for its reconstruction in the 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montrose, Tasmania</span> Suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Montrose is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Glenorchy in the Hobart LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the town of Glenorchy. The 2016 census recorded a population of 2152 for the state suburb of Montrose. It is a suburb of Hobart. The suburb is situated in close proximity with Rosetta. Montrose is the suburb directly north of Glenorchy. It is also in Montrose where the Montrose Foreshore Community Park is located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Library of Tasmania</span> Library in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

The State Library of Tasmania is the reference, special collections, research and public lending library in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia. It is part of Libraries Tasmania. Libraries Tasmania includes a state-wide network of library services, community learning, adult literacy and the State’s archives and heritage services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery</span> Art and history museum in Hobart, Australia

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is a museum located in Hobart, Tasmania. The museum was established in 1846, by the Royal Society of Tasmania, the oldest Royal Society outside England. The TMAG receives 400,000 visitors annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross, Tasmania</span> Town in Tasmania, Australia

Ross is a village in the Midlands of the state of Tasmania in Australia. On the Macquarie River, Ross is located 78 km south of Launceston and 117 km north of Hobart. The town is listed on the Register of the National Estate and is noted for its historic bridge, original sandstone buildings and convict history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Pot</span> Island in Tasmania, Australia

Iron Pot is a small, flat sandstone island with an area of 1.27 ha in south-eastern Australia. It is part of the Betsey Island Group and is located near the entrance to the River Derwent, approximately 11 kilometres southeast of Hobart, Tasmania. The island is home to the Iron Pot Lighthouse, Tasmania’s first lighthouse, which was constructed in 1832 and played a pivotal role in guiding vessels through the mouth of the River Derwent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King George Island (Tasmania)</span> Island in Tasmania, Australia

King George Island is an island in south-eastern Australia. It is part of the Sloping Island Group, lying close to the south-eastern coast of Tasmania around the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas. The island was once inhabited and farmed and contains the ruins of two buildings on its eastern side. A conservation covenant is in place on this island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart</span> Hotel building in Hobart, Tasmania

The Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart is a twelve-storey hotel located on the waterfront of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bush Inn, Tasmania</span> Australian pub

The Bush Inn is an Australian pub and hotel located in the Derwent Valley township of New Norfolk, Tasmania. It is one of the oldest pubs in Australia, and is thought by some to be the oldest continuously operating pub in Australia. The establishment is listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register and the Australian Heritage Database.

The Tasmanian Heritage Register is the statutory heritage register of the Australian state of Tasmania. It is defined as a list of areas currently identified as having historic cultural heritage importance to Tasmania as a whole. The Register is kept by the Tasmanian Heritage Council within the meaning of the Tasmanian Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995. It encompasses in addition the Heritage Register of the Tasmanian branch of the National Trust of Australia, which was merged into the Tasmanian Heritage Register. The enforcement of the heritage's requirements is managed by Heritage Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ingle Hall</span> Heritage building in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Ingle Hall is a landmark building in Hobart, Tasmania on the corner of Macquarie and Argyle Streets. It has served numerous purposes over its history and is vacant; it was most recently used as The Mercury print museum. It is unknown when the building was built as it predates any government record holding by the state of Tasmania, which began in 1822. It is named for John Ingle, one of the two possible first inhabitants of the building.

The Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office (TAHO), formerly known as the Archives Office of Tasmania, is a part of Libraries Tasmania, located in Hobart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Franklin Gallery</span> Art museum in Hobart, Australia

The Lady Franklin Gallery and Ancanthe Park is a historic sandstone museum and 2.96-hectare (7.3-acre) parkland in Lenah Valley, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 26 October 1843, it became the first privately funded museum in Australia.

Taroona Beach is a popular beach destination along the River Derwent in Taroona, Hobart, Tasmania. The south facing beach looks directly out to Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea, with views of the Derwent estuary, the City of Clarence on the eastern shore, Opossum Bay, South Arm, the Alum Cliffs and northern tip of Bruny Island. Taroona Beach is situated between Hinsby Beach and Crayfish Point, home of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre for the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Taroona Beach contains a boat ramp and is backed by Taroona Park which contains bathroom facilities, a skate park, scout hall, the Taroona Tennis Club, and the Taroona Bowls and Community Club.

References

  1. "Welcome to Hope & Anchor". hopeandanchor.com.au. Hope and Anchor Tavern. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  2. "Historical Tasmanian Newspaper text from February 1804". Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  3. "New hope for the old anchor". The Mercury. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  4. Maxwell-Stewart, Hamish (2008). Closing Hell's Gates: The Death of a Convict Station. Allen & Unwin. ISBN   978-1741751499.
  5. "Captain A.E. Sykes memoirs" . Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  6. Cooper, Lucy (15 May 2014). "Hobart's Hope and Anchor set to reopen after restoration". ABC News. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  7. "State Cinema" (PDF). Tasmanian Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  8. "Hobart pub restoration to dig deep". The Mercury. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  9. "Hope and Anchor Tavern heritage listing" (PDF). Tasmanian Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  10. "Hobart's Hope and Anchor and New Norfolk's Bush Inn in shouting match over 'oldest pub' title". News.com.au. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2015.

42°52′52″S147°19′54″E / 42.88111°S 147.33167°E / -42.88111; 147.33167