Smoke-free Hobart
The City of Hobart aspires to make Hobart special as our island capital grows and changes. Clean, fresh air is one of the many features that Hobartians value about our city.
"We walk in the fresh air between all the best things in life" expresses one of our Community Vision's statements.
The Hobart CBD became smoke-free from 15 April 2020. The designated borders of the declared areas are Collins, Liverpool, Murray and Campbell streets.
To encourage residents and guests to make healthy choices so that everyone could enjoy a breath of fresh air, some of the public places including parks and playgrounds, outdoor dining areas and car parks in Hobart are already smoke-free. They are indicated by bright blue signage and No Smoking Signs. Smoking includes herbal or e-cigarettes (vaping) as well as tobacco, therefore these activities are prohibited in smoke-free areas.
Smoke-free areas in Tasmania are established under the Public Health Act 1997. According to the National Health Survey 2017-2018, our state has a large smoking population – the second highest smoking rate in the country at nearly 17.4 per cent, compared with 14 per cent nationally.
Smoke-free areas help promote healthy behaviours and support people who have or are trying to quit as smoking in public spaces raises the risk of exposure to non-smokers that they otherwise wouldn't face.
The City of Hobart has appointed a Smoking Education Officer whose role is to create public awareness of smoke-free areas and regulations in Hobart. The fine for smoking in a smoke-free area is $362.
Smoke-free areas in Hobart
Parks and playgrounds
Smoking is not permitted in any of the City of Hobart playgrounds and in Franklin Square, Legacy Park and University Rose Garden.
We have put up signs that ban smoking within 10 metres of playgrounds located within City of Hobart reserves or other City-managed land.
Outdoor dining areas
Smoking is not permitted in any outdoor dining and drinking areas on land managed by the City of Hobart. While businesses are responsible for ensuring that their outdoor dining areas remain smoke-free, patrons are encouraged to observe the ban.
City car parks
Smoking is not permitted in any of the following City of Hobart-owned enclosed public car parks:
- Argyle Street Car Park
- Centrepoint Car Park
- Hobart Central Car Park
- Salamanca Square Car Park.
Smoking is also not permitted on the Town Hall parking deck.
Other smoke-free areas
The Tasmanian Government has introduced additional smoke-free areas in Tasmania to reduce exposure to harmful second-hand cigarette smoke. They include:
- enclosed public places or workplaces
- any vehicle with a child in it
- any work vehicle with another person in it
- within three metres of bus shelters
- bus malls and pedestrian malls
- public swimming pools and between the flags at a beach
- within three metres of the entrance/exit to a building
- in and within three metres of an outdoor dining area
- within ten metres of a building's ventilation air intake
- within 20 metres of an outdoor sporting event
- within ten metres of a children's playground
- outdoor areas designated as smoke-free by the occupier
- certain public events.
For more information, visit the Department of Health and Human Services Tobacco Management webpage.
Smoke-free public event resources
The Director of Public Health determines which public events are smoke free.
To help you manage your public smoke-free event, the Department of Health and Public Services provides resources including a list of smoke-free events, signage and smoke-free event management plan templates. These resources can be found at the department's Tobacco Control Publications page.
If you seek support to give up smoking, please visit the Quit Tasmania website or call 13 78 48.
For further information or to make a complaint, please use our smoke-free line 03 6238 2724 or email smokefreehobart@hobartcity.com.au.