The Royal Hobart Regatta is a series of aquatic competitions and displays held annually in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and is Tasmania's oldest sporting event. The regatta began in 1838.^[1][2]

The event runs for three days and incorporates a public holiday observed in Southern Tasmania on the second Monday in February.^[3]

It is regularly well attended by the public in addition to local and interstate competitors.

In its beginning the Regatta was well supported by the Royal Navy. In recent years the Royal Australian Navy, sends a warship to serve as flagship for the three day spectacle. The Royal Australian Air Force, also regularly performs aerobatic displays using military aircraft such as the RAAF Roulettes. The Australian Army's elite Red Beret parachute regiment has previously provided sky diving displays.

Governance of the Royal Hobart Regatta is executed by an association of the same name, The Royal Hobart Regatta Association.

The Association is controlled by a board, executive and committee. The current president is Ross Doddridge.

On 1 December 1838, the first Hobart Town Anniversary Regatta was held in Hobart to celebrate the anniversary of the 17th-century European discovery of Tasmania by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who made the first reported European sighting of the island on 24 November 1642.^[4]

It was decided that an annual anniversary regatta should be held and include the wearing of a sprig of silver wattle blossom tied with British navy blue ribbon,^[5] a tradition instituted by Governor of Tasmania, Sir John Franklin.

Franklin provided free food and beer for all of the spectators, and the tradition of free entry continues to this day. The Monday was declared a public holiday by the Governor and is now the oldest public holiday still continuing in Australia.

Since 1879 the regatta has been held in January or February, rather than December. The regatta of 6 February 1934 was the first to be called the Royal Hobart Regatta, the title being conferred by King George V.

The Royal Hobart Regatta has played host to ten royal visits, the most notable being a visit from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip in 1963 when they arrived aboard HMY Britannia. In preparation for the occasion the main grandstand was extended and accommodated the royals, who stayed for lunch before departing for Sydney in the late afternoon.

Originally staged at Pavilion Point, the Regatta moved in 1856, to grounds near Macquarie Point known as the "Regatta Grounds" at the Queens Domain along the western side of the River Derwent. Records indicate the move was necessitated following a quarrel with Government House concerning broken beer bottles along Macquarie.

Access to the site is along McVilly Drive.

The grounds are shared with the Hobart Cenotaph, a war memorial to Tasmanian's fallen from global conflict. The primary Regatta structure on the site is the John Colville Memorial grandstand, which pays tribute to members of the aquatic fraternity that fell in World War I. A stone tablet was laid in 1942 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Regatta.

A plethora of events take place each year, and include:

• Jet ski and power boat races
• Dragon boat racing
• Tug of war
• Open water swimming
• Sailing
• Rowing
• Woodchopping

There is also an Ambassador quest, and the regatta always has an official attendance ceremony by the Governor.

A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships and/ or the finest, largest, or most important one of a group of things.