Geilston Bay
Geilston Bay is a largely residential suburb of Hobart between Risdon Vale, Shag Bay, and Lindisfarne, in the City of Clarence located on the Eastern Shore of the River Derwent, taking its name from an inlet of that river of the same name.
The inlet and locality were sometimes known by the alternative name Limekiln Bay on account of lime kilns which operated there between approximately the 1830s and the 1920s, the remains of which remained visible for some decades thereafter; another early name for the Bay was "James's Bay". The present suburb name derives from an early land holding "Geils Town" in the region purchased by Andrew Geils, Commandant of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) for a brief period in 1812-1813, who subsequently left his Australian holdings behind when he moved back to Scotland.
Getting around Geilston Bay the local way
- Get inYou can also take a car from mainland Australia via Devonport, with a ferry departing nightly from Melbourne.
- Get aroundDerwent Ferries operates services between Brooke Street Pier in the city and Bellerive Pier in Bellerive.
- Get aroundSightseeing cruises and water taxis operate services between Brooke Street Pier in the city and outlying piers along the River Derwent.
- Get aroundThere is a poorly developed network of off-road cyclepaths, but Hobart drivers tend to be tolerant of cyclists, and most roads tend to be wide enough to accommodate them.
- Get aroundOne old railway line from the city as far as Claremont has been converted to a first-class cycle and walking path (take care from motor vehicles at intersections).
- Go nextMany nearby destinations are close enough to allow for a day trip from Hobart or even a few days away if you wish.
- Go nextA popular day trip from Hobart, there is much to explore on the whole peninsula including Tasman National Park, which is brimming with spectacular views and natural rock formations.
From Wikivoyage: Hobart, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.