Margate

Margate is just a few kilometers south of Hobart CBD. This tightknit community sits on the upper reaches of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and is a suburb of Tasmania's largest city. It is a part of a line of southern suburbs along the water and it features plenty of infrastructures. There is a 24-hour service center and a highly sought after primary school as well as plenty of sporting clubs and medical services.

Margate is just 20 kilometers and 20 minutes south of Hobart. Most people know the town when passing through it on their way south to Woodbridge, Kettering and Bruny Island. This middle-class suburb is nearly 3 hours from Launceston and 4 hours from Devonport.

A Highly Regarded Suburb

What was once farm fields is now mostly residential. In fact, most of the buildings in Margate aren't even original. A bushfire in the 1960's wiped out most of this town's original buildings, but it has been rebuilt in a grand way. Life in Margate is suburban paradise with a tightknit community revolving around a highly sought after primary school. Many parents try to get their kids into the Margate schools only to find out that Margate property is sold out.

You'll find a few orchards and vanity vineyards on the outskirts of town. But what you'll mostly experience in Margate is a medium paced town with plenty of amenities. In town, you'll find locally sourced and organic foods as well as locally made liquors such as vodka. Image credit: Tourism Tasmania & Colin Hocking

A Brief Stop in Margate

Margate is a great escape for visitors to Tasmania that don't feel comfortable in the big city of Hobart. And while Hobart is not a metropolitan nightmare like New York City, it can still have a fast pace of life that many are trying to avoid. Margate is only 20 kilometers south and offers a slower pace of life in a friendly community.

Margate is also a great town to stock up on your way south to the Huon River Valley. The farther you head south, the fewer amenities are available. And it's only a few hours until you are past the last town of importance in Australia. You can even get some mechanical work done on your car at a 24-hour service centre before heading off to wilder lands.

Families, Antique Hunters and Passersby

Families love Margate for its incredible community. It is a good mixture of young and old, newcomers and longtime residents. It is difficult to find property in Margate so many of the families in the area are upper-middle-class. They use their socioeconomic status to enrol their children in Margate's incredible eco-friendly school.

This suburb also has a large antique store on the edge of town. You'll find couples on their way down south checking out this incredible warehouse as a part of their weekend. And, of course, you'll find passersby taking advantage of Margate's amenities before heading further south. Image Credit: Tourism Tasmania & Kathryn Leahy

There are some hotels scattered around town at a range of prices. You'll find one three-star hotel at an accommodating budget, but he can also take advantage of their highly sought after and more expensive hotels and retreats. There's even a spa on the edge of town.

There are a few boutique producers on the edge of town where you can buy local produce at a farmer's stand. You can also take advantage of the town's large antique store by hunting for a bargain. You can also find bargains at the nearby secondhand shop which makes for an interesting pit stop on your way south.

The Channel Heritage Center is in the middle of Margate. It tells the story of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the surrounding area. It is worth a quick visit. Image Credit: Tourism Tasmania & Kathryn Leahy

You'll find an interesting collection of restaurants in Margate. There is a Vietnamese restaurant on the outskirts of town and a Chinese food restaurant in the middle of town. The center of town also features a pizza shop, take away restaurant and a tavern. On the northern edge of town, you'll find a high-end sit-down restaurant as well as a breakfast joint.

Margate was heavily influenced by the building boom in the early 2000s. After a fire razed the town in the 1960's, the building boom was welcomed and you can see it all around. Housing developments span in nearly every direction and most families have a breadwinner that commutes to Hobart. Image Credit: Tourism Tasmania & Kathryn Leahy

You'll find Margate's weather is pleasant throughout the year. Featuring a warm oceanic climate, the weather never gets too hot in the summer nor does it get too cold in the winter. The town also features 4 distinct seasons. And while it rarely receives snow, rain can happen any time of year.

The nearby Shot Tower is an impressive structure that was used to make lead shot for muskets in the 1800's. Molten lead would be poured through perforations and would drop into a chamber of water to instantly form into spheres. This circular tower is one-of-a-kind.