Sydney Hobart – The race that transformed a city
by Tony Lathouras 28 Dec 2023 18:31 PST
Comanche made the final dash to the Rolex Sydney Hobart finish line contending with fickle breeze ahead of the other four super maxis © Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
In the lead up to the festive season, Hobart starts to become alive around the waterfront with social catchups, formal workplace dinners, and the now famous ‘cage night’. For non-locals this might sound terrifying, but this night, which is always just a few days before Christmas Day, is the traditional knock off day for tradies.
A large section of the waterfront bar and club precinct is ‘caged off’ for security reasons, and the responsible service of the copious amounts of alcohol that will be served up that night within the cage area, which is adjacent to the docks.
All the while there is a buzz, excitement, and action happening within a stone’s throw from this area. A city within a city is being created for what is the highlight of the time between Christmas and New Year. No, not the Boxing Day Test Match from the MCG – The arrival of the Sydney to Hobart fleet, of course!
The race has always created massive interest with Hobartians. During my youth, there was no Internet with the 10-minute updates on positions like we have now. We listened to the local ABC AM radio (No, morse code was not a feature of old Hobart Town, not in my youth at least), and once word had been passed around that the Line Honours contenders were only hours out, that’s where Hobart headed to.
Sitting by the foreshore with fish and chips from the nearest Greek shop, we anxiously awaited the sighting of large sails as we looked towards the Iron Pot, watching them cross the line, and then docking inside of Constitution Dock. This was a summer highlight. I think we Hobart folk feel a sense of ownership over this end section of the race, and view with some pride that ‘Hobart’ gets mentioned so often.
With this we have embraced the race, and the Hobart end has evolved.
In the most recent couple of decades, what has changed?
Well, the thought of the first half of the arrivals pulling into Constitution Dock isn’t a thing. Either the dock has shrunk, or the boats have gotten much larger, and my money is on the latter. The other change is a cultural one that has transformed the sleepy town of Hobart into a buzzing ‘place to be’ at this time of year.
So, we had a massive interest in the race, we had large crowds gathering to take a look at the boats, and it was an excellent day out (with fish and chips), but there was much more to come.
Jump forward to today, and we have the city within a city, that I spoke of earlier, all the way down on the waterfront that has the Sydney to Hobart Village where you can find out all you need to know about the race, enjoy a fine array of foods that highlight local fare, and on to exotic delights from around the world.
Local wines, beers and spirits are showcased, and the atmosphere with live music, yachties wandering around all adding to the excitement and flavour. The locals develop a new language and skill set while talking of the race to each other that would lend them to being perhaps the best skippers, navigators, tacticians, and sailors that have never taken to water!
We locals use this mecca as a place to meet up with friends and family to take in this incredible vibe and atmosphere.
If you choose to head over to the Taste of Tasmania – a short three-minute stroll from where the boats are tied up, you have the same vibe, albeit on a much larger scale, if somewhat slightly removed from the seafaring atmosphere.
What has this transformation really meant to Hobart?
The tourism industry has gone gangbusters with travellers from around the globe, visiting cruise ships, and local food and wine vendors having the opportunity to show these visitors what we have to offer in Hobart and Tasmania. The injection into the economy is massive.
Would this have all happened without the big race?
I really doubt it...