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Right in the heart of Hobart, where Salamanca Place meets Sandy Bay Road, sits one of the city’s most intriguing green spaces. St David’s Park isn’t your typical city park, beneath its manicured lawns and shady trees lies a fascinating story that stretches back to the very founding of Hobart Town.
Back in April 1804, when Hobart was nothing more than a rough settlement, Lieutenant Governor David Collins and the Reverend Robert Knopwood walked up from the waterfront to mark out a burial ground.
They chose a spot that was described as “a place of real seclusion and rare beauty” with crystal streams running through groves of blackwood and wattle trees.
It was Tasmania’s first official burial ground, and they named it St David’s Cemetery after Collins himself.
For nearly 70 years, this was where Hobart laid its dead to rest. At least 900 souls found their final home here, including some pretty significant characters. Collins himself was buried here in March 1810, and a wooden church was even built directly above his grave the following year (though it was blown down in a storm).
Other notable burials included explorer James Kelly, who circumnavigated Tasmania in a whaleboat and gave Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour their names, and various colonial officials and First Fleet convicts.
By the 1860s, though, the expanding town had grown right up to the cemetery’s edges, and locals started getting jumpy about the health risks of having all those burials smack bang in the middle of their neighbourhood.
When Cornelian Bay Cemetery opened in 1872, St David’s was closed for good.
Image Credits: Darren Wright
What happened next wasn’t exactly pretty. The cemetery fell into serious disrepair, one visitor in the 1870s described it as an “odious wilderness” with broken headstones and rank weeds everywhere. For decades, it was a right mess.
Finally, in 1919, the Hobart City Council managed to acquire the land from the church authorities for £5,000. They had big plans to transform this forgotten corner into something the community could actually enjoy.
Some of the remains were moved to Cornelian Bay, but most were left to rest peacefully where they’d always been. The surviving headstones weren’t wasted, they were built into memorial walls that you can still see today.
The park officially opened on 13 November 1926, designed in the English landscape garden style that was all the rage at the time. As one local historian rather poetically put it: “The mouldering stones and gaping vaults have gone, and trees and grass and flowers have sprung and flourished from the silent dust”.
One of the best things about St David’s Park is its absolutely primo location. It’s literally a two-minute walk from the famous Salamanca Markets (though avoid driving here on Saturday mornings unless you enjoy traffic headaches).
You’re also within easy striking distance of Battery Point, the waterfront, and all the best bits of Hobart’s city centre.
The park is open 24/7, though it’s probably most enjoyable during daylight hours when you can properly appreciate the memorial walls and read the historical plaques dotted throughout.
It’s wheelchair accessible with sealed paths, though you might encounter some bumpy bits where tree roots have had their way with the pavement.
Modern St David’s Park is a lovely spot to spend an hour or so, whether you’re after a peaceful stroll or a bit of historical detective work.
The centrepiece is the charming rotunda, which often hosts weddings and community events. It’s also perfect for a picnic, just remember you’re probably sitting above some of Hobart’s earliest residents.
The real treasure hunt begins when you start exploring the memorial walls tucked away near the Supreme Court complex.
These walls contain headstones and fragments from the original cemetery, including memorials to First Fleeters and early settlers.
Some of the inscriptions are still readable, telling poignant stories of colonial life, though others have been worn away by time and weather.
Don’t miss the impressive sandstone lion statues guarding the Salamanca Place entrance.
These beauties have their own story—they were originally carved in 1884 for the Bank of Van Diemen’s Land, later spent time at Port Arthur, and finally found their permanent home here in 1988.
St David’s Park offers something you won’t find in many places, a chance to literally walk through history while enjoying a peaceful break from city life. It’s particularly gorgeous during autumn when the deciduous trees put on a proper show, and spring brings lovely blossoms and the sound of birds.
Whether you’re into history, enjoy a quiet spot for people watching, or just want somewhere pleasant to eat your lunch, St David’s Park delivers. Plus, there’s something rather wonderful about a place that’s managed to transform from a neglected cemetery into a beloved community space while still honouring the stories of those who rest beneath its lawns.
Just remember to have a respectful wander, after all, you’re walking through what was once described as the most archaeologically significant burial ground in Australia. The spirits of the past and the life of the present coexist beautifully here, making St David’s Park one of Hobart’s most genuinely interesting green spaces.
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