Hobart Rivulet

The hidden stream that runs under the CBD — partly walkable through tunnels covered in street art

Address Collins Street and South Hobart
Admission Free; tours from approximately AU$30

The Rivulet flows down from the slopes of Mount Wellington, runs underground through the entire CBD, and emerges briefly into Sullivans Cove. The above-ground sections — particularly the Rivulet Park Track through South Hobart — make for a pleasant 30-minute walk past the Female Factory and through suburban backyards. But the most interesting section is the underground tunnel that runs beneath the CBD, accessible only through guided tours run periodically by the city council and during Dark Mofo's "Underground" programme.

Even without a tour, you can peer into the rivulet from grates along Collins Street and watch the water rush below. The Atlas Obscura listing brought wider attention to the unofficial gallery of street art that lines the tunnel walls.

things to do sight
A story
The Hobart Rivulet was the original reason for the city's location: Lieutenant Governor Collins moved the settlement in 1804 from Risdon Cove to Sullivans Cove specifically because of the reliable fresh water. The rivulet was progressively built over from the 1860s and is now invisible from most of the CBD; the underground sections were used as overflow sewers, and graffiti artists have been painting the brick-vaulted walls for decades.

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