The story of this place
Salamanca Place in Hobart is a row of Georgian sandstone warehouses built between 1835 and 1860 by merchants trading in whale oil, timber, grain and fruit. By the 1970s they were considered obsolete and faced demolition. Then something remarkable happened: the United Tasmania Group — the world's first political party specifically formed to fight an environmental cause, established in 1972 — helped galvanise opposition to development across Tasmania. The warehouses were saved and became the template for heritage-led urban renewal.
Every Saturday since 1972, the Salamanca Market fills the cobblestoned square with 300 stalls selling handmade crafts, local produce, street food and art. It has become Hobart's social heartbeat — one of Australia's most beloved markets. The nearby Salamanca Arts Centre hosts theatre, galleries and studios. The warehouses that once stored whale oil now hold restaurants, galleries and wine bars, and the square where whalers once loaded barrels now fills with 20,000 people every weekend.