Hobart

 

city (1990 pop. 127,134), capital and principal port of Tasmania, SE Australia, at the foot of Mt. Wellington (4,166 ft/1,270 m high). Hobart's harbor is one of the finest in the world. The city has diverse industries, including meatpacking, food processing, and the making of textiles, chemicals, and glass. It was founded in 1804 and named for Robert Hobart, the British colonial secretary. Hobart is the seat of the Univ. of Tasmania (1890) and an important commercial and service center. The Hobart Theatre Royal (1836) is the oldest major theater in Australia.