It used to be that mainland Aussies went to Tasmania to have a bit of a flutter at Hobart's Wrest Point Casino, Australia's oldest gambling casino and once upon a time the only legal casino in the country.

But with casinos now in every state and mainland territory, Hobart has to attract visitors for other reasons — and there are plenty of them.

It is the gateway to historic Port Arthur and to the pristine World Heritage Tasmanian wilderness and national parks.

In the days after Christmas, Hobart becomes the focus of yachting enthusiasts as the Sydney-to-Hobart Yacht Race is valiantly fought at sea.

Mary Donaldson's hometown

Now it has the added cachet of being the hometown of Mary Donaldson, Crown Princess of Denmark and that country's future queen.

Founded in 1804, Hobart is one of Australia's oldest cities and many of its colonial buildings still exist. They are historical and architectural attractions.

Tens of thousands of convicts were once imported into Hobart and this convict past is imprinted in the city's history.

• What to See and Do in Hobart

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