Discover New Town: Villa History, Gardens and Nature

During a stay in New Town, you can focus on architecture and history, nature or sporting activities. Runnymede is known for a Regency villa by the sea, historic furnishings, maritime collections and guided tours. At Cornelian Bay Park, the surviving coastal vegetation provides habitat for native animals and waterbirds; New Town Oval is used for Australian Rules Football, cricket and cycling activities. The suburb’s architecture also includes rare rows of terraced houses. If you’re looking for a hotel in New Town, these different interests can help you shape the focus of your stay.

Runnymede and its history

Runnymede is in New Town and is a Regency villa by the sea. It was built sometime between 1836 and 1840. The specific period and villa style provide a clear reference point for its architectural history. Runnymede offers guided tours of the house, its historic furnishings and maritime collections, as well as the gardens. If you’re planning a tour, check the latest visitor information before your trip.

Villa gardens and coastal vegetation

The original 19th-century villa garden includes more than plantings: a carriage driveway surrounds the house, and the stables and coach house date from the 1840s. There is also a cast-iron fountain, along with historic trees and plantings. The driveway and coach house add built features to the garden; together, the house, garden and historic details shape the focus of a visit to Runnymede.

For travellers interested in landscapes and wildlife, Cornelian Bay Park offers a different focus. Its surviving coastal vegetation provides habitat for various native animals and waterbirds. The distinction from Runnymede is clear: there, historic garden and architectural features take centre stage, while at the park, vegetation is important as habitat. This lets you choose between garden history and a coastal habitat based on your travel interests.

Stoke Street Reserve is another park in New Town. It is triangular and sits at the corner of Stoke Street, New Town Road and Argyle Street. Its shape and the street junction give the site a distinct, clearly identified place within the suburb.

Sport and architecture in New Town

New Town Oval is used for Australian Rules Football, cricket and cycling activities. It is a sports-focused destination, distinct from a tour of Runnymede or the nature theme of Cornelian Bay Park. When deciding what interests you most on your trip, you can take these different uses into account without combining sport, architectural history and landscape into a single theme.

Another architectural highlight is a row of four terraced houses on New Town Road: they are at numbers 38, 40, 42 and 44, and are rare in New Town. They are a different type of building from the Regency villa Runnymede. Architecture enthusiasts can therefore choose between two distinct topics: a villa with a defined construction period, historic furnishings and a garden, or a rare row of terraced houses.

Discover more destinations: Clifton Beach, Warrane, Pontville, Lindisfarne, Kingston, Cambridge, Goodwood, Margate.

For the broader travel overview: Hobart.