For more than ten thousand years Tasmania / lutruwita has been home to the palawa, the indigenous people of this land.

We acknowledge their enduring connection to the country, their history, and their ongoing culture, and we acknowledge our pub is built on palawa land with a history steeped in colonisation. We pay our respects to elders, both past and present.

Thomas Hopkins first opened the doors of this pub in 1807, just 3 years after the British began their colonisation of Hobart with the landing at Risdon Cove. The name on the front door was “The Whale Fishery”.

Like the first recorded mentions of many early Hobart drinking spots, the pub's earliest mention comes from the diary of Reverend Robert Knopwood. On July 25, 1807 he noted: "This day Hopkins opened a Publick House, the Sign of the Whale Fishery, and at 8pm Capt Johnson, Lt Lord Lt Bleedon and self supped. At past 11 we came away the weather very wet and cold." 

The pub was built on the banks of the Hobart Rivulet, and though the river may now follow a different path (it originally flowed down what is now Market Place) the pub has stayed in the same location ever since.

The building stayed in the hands of Mr Hopkin until the 1820’s when it was renamed ”Tom Donnelly’s Hotel Alexandra” by a new owner named Tom (we’ll let you guess his last name).

Large renovations took place in 1820 and 1840 to grow the building and give the pub the footprint it has today.

In 1914 the building got electric lights, and since 1998 it has been listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register, recognising it’s historical significance and well maintained Georgian architecture.

The huge collection of art and objects throughout pub can be attributed primarily to a man named Gunter Jaeger, who owned the pub in the period leading up to 2008. He was a collector of all things 1800’s and maritime, and purchased the majority of the artifacts you can see around the pub today.

The pub has been known by many names over the years.

“The Whale Fishery”
”Tom Donnelly’s Hotel Alexandra”
”Hope”
”Anchor and Hope”
”The Hope and Anchor Tavern”

and now simply
”Hope & Anchor”

A simple question…. but depending on who you ask you may get a different answer.

The Woolpack Hotel in Parramatta first opened it’s doors in May 1796. Now from that it seems like it should be Australia’s oldest pub! However, the original building was fully demolished in the 1890’s and a hotel of the same name was opened very close by. Hope & Anchor has remained on the same site since 1807.

The Bush Inn in New Norfolk (a 30min drive North from our pub) also claim the title of the longest continuously licensed pub in Australia and oldest pub in Tasmania, opening their doors in 1815 and remaining open on the same site ever since.
Quite a feat!

Now the lovely folk at the Bush Inn will tell you that although Hope & Anchor opened 8 years before the Bush Inn, their claim is now more valid as our pub closed it’s doors from 2008-2014. The author of this piece would like to point out, however, that during this time the Hope & Anchor liquor license did not lapse.
From our point of view, we’ll just refer to it as a long lunch break.

So who’s actually the oldest?
Well we’re not one to ruin a good story, so we’ll leave that up to you to decide.

In June 2025 the keys to Hope & Anchor fell into the hands of us here at Hobart Brewing Co, and if you’ve visited the pub since you might have noticed a few changes.

Scraping back many layers of paint we found the original colour of the paint used on the external brickwork - potentially dating back to the 1820 - 1840 renovations. We’ve now restored the outside of the pub to that original colour.

Inside you can still find much of the art and old world charm that pub has always been known for, alongside a mix of classic and modern food and drink. We’d like to think there’s something here for everyone and we’re excited for you to join us on the next chapter of this historic pub’s story.