About Us

About Hobart

Hobart is Australia's southern-most capital city and the second oldest city in the country.

Tasmania was first settled by Europeans in 1803 at Risdon Cove on Hobart's eastern shore. However, this spot didn't work out too well, so the settlement moved over to Sullivan's Cove and founded Hobart Town (also called Hobarton) in 1804.
Greater Hobart's modern-day population is about 219,287 (from 2008 census data).

Hobart is often said to be the gateway to Antarctica and Hobart's port is used as the home servicing port for the Australian and French Antarctic activities.

Water and mountains are prominent in Hobart, with the city built on the banks of the Derwent River and spreading up the side of Mt Wellington (known as The Mountain to the locals). This means you can be up in the snow on top of Mt Wellington one minute, and down on the beach getting ready to go sailing in just a short drive. The climate is a mild temperate oceanic climate, bringing average temperatures of around 21 degrees Celsius in summer and about 12 degrees in winter.

Hobart's waterfront has always played a vital role in the economy and lifestyle of the city, from the days of the whalers and traders to today's summer festivals and the famous weekly Salamanca market, but there's far too much good stuff going on in and around Hobart and southern Tasmania to mention it all here. You'll have to come and see us to find out more.

A night view of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery from the docks. (Grumpypop51)

About 936 ABC Hobart

On 17 December 1924 radio came to life in Hobart. Earlier that year the Commonwealth Government had decided to establish ‘A’ class stations in Hobart, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. These were largely financed by fees collected by the Government and 567 people in Hobart were ‘licensed to listen’ by early 1925.

The first station in Hobart, 7ZL, was originally owned by the Associated Radio Company, then Tasmanian Broadcaster Pty Ltd from 1928, passing to the Australian Broadcasting Company in 1931. That company was nationalised in 1932 by an Act of Parliament that formed the Australian Broadcasting Commission. It was the year that Tasmania’s Joseph Lyons became Prime Minister.

Using a one kilowatt transmitter and broadcasting on a frequency of 580AM, the ABC delivered a mix of classical and popular music, serious talks, sport results and community information such as requests for blood donations. As there was no telephone connection from Tasmania to Victoria at the time, recorded material was sent by sea mail to be rebroadcast by 7ZL, leaving the station to do its own thing and much more local programming than interstate equivalents.

As interest in radio grew rapidly across Australia, the Post Master General announced in 1937 that a second ABC station would be established in Hobart and other cities, to provide a wider range of programming. There was talk of the second station being called 7HN or Hobart National, but it was finally launched as 7ZR on a frequency of 1160. It broadcast live and recorded music, talks and sport from 10.00am to 10.30pm on weekday and less on weekends. The year was 1938, and that summer Don Bradman made 144 in an Australians vs Tasmania match in Hobart.

So since 1938 7ZR, now 936 ABC Hobart, has informed this city and told the stories of Tasmanian life!

Photo: The current ABC centre in Hobart was originally the Hobart Railway Station. The stone part of the building still stands and is used by the ABC and other businesses. This photo is from 1935.

About abc.net.au/hobart/

This site is part of a broader network of sites - ABC Local - which provides local coverage of your region and a gateway to ABC Online. It includes more than 50 websites representing regions spanning the length and breadth of Australia.

Hobart's site - and indeed, all 54 Local sites - delivers local news, sport and weather as well as special feature stories that explore the events, places and people that make each region unique. Each website is also a place to share and a place to participate, creating a community space within the ABC online environment. You can comment on issues, upload your photos, list a community event and more.

The websites also support a range of features that creates a rich online experience. These include webcams, photo galleries, video stories, maps and a range of podcasts and on-demand audio items.

The ABC Hobart website is also the place to go for a comprehensive guide to what's happening on 936 ABC Hobart and for details of special events and competitions. It will keep you up-to-date on the latest special coverage events including sport, rural news and more, providing a window into everything that's available across ABC Online, Radio and TV.

ABC Local coverage is drawn from the reports and programs of more than 500 staff working around Australia. Producers and reporters gather and publish a constant stream of material to keep you informed and entertained. These efforts have also built a large archive of stories well worth searching for information and great stories about recent and not-so-recent events and people.

General enquiries:

(03) 6235 3333

Talkback:

1300 222 936

SMS:

0438 922 936

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