Cadbury Chocolate Factory
The Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont was the supplier of chocolate to the Australian Armed Forces during World War II. The factory, built on a peninsula on Hobart’s Derwent River, ran 24 hours a day to manufacture enough ration chocolate for soldiers and those left at home. Today it’s still Australia’s largest chocolate factory and most of the milk used in production comes from Tasmanian cows. The factory grounds were built to include shops, housing and sporting facilities for the staff. The sporting grounds are still in use today, and Cadbury also runs an annual marathon with the finishing line at the factory. A cheap entry fee will give you access to the Cadbury Visitor Centre, as well as a complimentary gift bag of chocolates. Watch a mouthwatering video presentation about the creation of Cadbury’s chocolates and sample some raw ingredients that go into the process. Visit the café and gift shop where more sweet treats and souvenir items can be sampled. The shop sells “reject” chocolate quite cheaply, so it’s a good place to visit if you need to stock up before driving off to explore Tasmania. Though factory tours were something of an Australian institution in the past, these are no longer available due to health and safety regulations. The visitor centre is open Monday to Friday; it is closed on weekends and public holidays. The Cadbury Chocolate Factory is about 25 minutes’ drive north from downtown Hobart and there is plenty of free parking. Metro buses from central Hobart go to and from the factory.