Ghosts, secret passages to Parliament and prisoners sneaking off for last drinks, these are just some of the stories linked with tunnels in Hobart.

Our Curious Hobartian Gareth Kays underground with National Trust tour guide Roger Greenwood. ( ABC News: Elise Fantin )

Eager to learn more about what's underneath the city, Gareth Kays asked the ABC's Curious Hobart "is there a network of tunnels underneath Hobart?"

What a great story to start our Curious Hobart series!

The Hobart rivulet and its quirks have been well documented so this investigation focused on the existence of other tunnels in and around Hobart.

To begin, I consulted historian Peter MacFie who wrote a book on the history of Hobart's underground for the Hobart City Council in 2008.

This boarded up archway in Irish Murphy's basement is the source of much speculation. ( ABC News: Elise Fantin )

Quirky tales — fact or fiction?

Historian Peter MacFie has literally written the book on Hobart's tunnels. ( ABC News: Elise Fantin )

It became apparent that there were a number of stories or legends floating around about tunnels that perhaps once existed around the city.

Depending on who I spoke to these tales varied slightly.

Mr MacFie said a common one centred on the existence — or otherwise — of a tunnel leading from the original Customs House, which is now Parliament House, to the Customs House Hotel on Murray St.

"I'd love to say there was, but given the small population and the small distances, I wonder," he said.

Queen's Battery is one of several now abandoned gun sites built by the British to protect Hobart from foreign invaders. ( Supplied: Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office NS1013-1-371 )

Irish Murphy's pub, in Salamanca's waterfront precinct, is also caught up in the mystery.

Licensee Sam Arnold said the site had a colourful history and a boarded up archway in the pub's basement was the source of much speculation.

"It's a big ice-breaking conversation here," he said.

"The rumours that we hear that there was a tunnel that runs from this place all the way to Parliament House and the officers used to come through the tunnel to not be seen. They'd come in, have a good time, then waltz on back."

Official word from Parliament House has ruled out these theories.

Tunnels between courtroom and cells were used to conceal prisoners. ( ABC News: Elise Fantin )

Tasmanian Parliament Speaker Mark Shelton said the existence of tunnels connecting Parliament House with other buildings had been a matter of great speculation for many decades.

Sketch of the outside of the Old Hobart Gaol, corner of Murray and Macquarie Streets, demolished in 1857. ( Supplied: Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office PH30-1-627 )

"The atmosphere of the basement level of Parliament House, often referred to as 'the dungeons', is the original 'King's Store', where the convict workmanship of hand-cut and dressed sandstone, as well as convict-made bricks marked with thumbprints and the broad arrow symbol certainly provide one's imagination with perhaps the starting point for a secret portal," Mr Shelton said.

"But unfortunately, I am unaware of any tunnels from Parliament House, but like many I do enjoy the thought that perhaps they do exist and that, like Albert the resident Parliament House ghost, I have just not yet come across them."

Another tale I came across was a tunnel running from the now-demolished Old Hobart Town Gaol, across Murray Street to the former location of the Supreme Court in 1823, which is where the Treasury Buildings now stand.

The broad arrow stamp on bricks, indicating convict handiwork. ( Supplied: Sarah Waight )

Legend of prisoner 'last drinks' before hanging

The Department of Treasury and Finance confirmed the proximity of the courthouse and gaol had led to the story of a tunnel linking the buildings so convicted felons could travel with no possibility of escape, but noted no physical or documentary evidence had been found to support its existence.

Adding to that, legend has it there was also a tunnel running from the gaol, across Macquarie St to the Victoria Tavern.

The theory is prisoners would be allowed across for last drinks before their hanging.

Victoria Tavern publican Stephen Higby said he was trying to verify these reports — but was yet to find any definitive proof.

"The other is a tunnel from St David's Church to the pub which the priest used," he said.

Gareth said he had heard a number of these stories, but was reserving his judgement.

A spokesperson from St David's Cathedral told the ABC there is no such tunnel.

Alexandra Battery, named for Princess Alexandra, Princess of Wales, is now a public park. ( ABC News: Elise Fantin )

The Russians are coming!

In the 19th century, gun batteries were built around Hobart as part of the harbour defence system, including the Alexandra Battery at Sandy Bay.

The gated entrance to Prince of Wales Battery magazine in Hobart. ( Wikimedia/Nick D )

Mr MacFie said construction began in 1871 as a response to fears of a Russian attack and included a tunnel from the battery down to Blinking Billy Point.

"It was a way of communicating physically by walking up to the fort," he said.

"It was cut in half with the new widening of the highway going out to Taroona from Sandy Bay beach, it's blocked up."

Mr MacFie said tunnels were also built at part of the Prince of Wales Battery at Battery Point, Queen's Battery which was located where the Cenotaph is now and at Kangaroo Bluff Battery on the eastern shore.

Owen Winter from The Army Museum of Tasmania said plans showed a tunnel once existed from the barrack's main building down to Albuera Street.

"The tunnel was put there as an escape route during 1942 against potential air raids and it was supposedly excavated by Italian prisoners of war," he said.

"There were several alcoves where people could actually go to and stop in the event of air raids."

Mr Winter said all visible signs of the tunnel had long been covered up.

"Supposedly in the early 1950s a fellow went out to this woodshed to get an armful wood one night and he fell through the floor into the tunnel, so as a result of that the move was made to fill it in," he said.

Legend has it tunnels under Hobart were used by the clergy, judges and prisoners. ( Supplied: Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts, Tasmanian Archive and Heritage office SD_ILS548683 )

Tunnels to conceal prisoners

In the city centre on Campbell St is the Hobart Convict Penitentiary.

Gareth came along to learn more about the site.

"I've always found convict and military history really fascinating," he said.

A tunnel runs underneath the courtroom at the former Hobart convict penitentiary ( ABC News: Elise Fantin )

Underneath the courthouse are two tunnels built in the 1860s that lead up to the courtrooms.

National Trust tour guide Roger Greenwood said the idea was to make sure a person on trial had no contact with anyone else in the court room.

"His friends, his enemies. The way to do it was an underground tunnel that brought him straight up to the dock," he said.

There is even a ghost story involved.

"I've never seen her but those who have all say the same thing, that it's a figure of a woman. So we suppose that the unfortunate person their troubled spirit remains here," Mr Greenwood said.

The Penitentiary courtrooms were closed in 1975 but Children's Court matters were still heard there until 1983.

Registrar Jim Connolly in the tunnel between the Supreme Court buildings, Hobart. ( ABC News: Janek Frankowski )

Judges travelling underground

The Supreme Court of Tasmania situated in Salamanca Place was built in two phases.

The criminal side was opened in 1975, the civil side in 1980.

Registrar Jim Connolly said part of the design was a tunnel stretching about 130 metres linking both sides.

"The primary function of the tunnel is to enable judges to move from their chambers in one building, to the other building where they conduct criminal trials," he said.

"They need a means of transit that is both secure and during inclement weather and keeps them out of the rain."

Mr Connolly said it was a deliberate choice to have two separate buildings.

"One of the conditions that was attached to the development of this site was that the development had to be very low rise," he said.

"It was decided that two buildings was the solution."

Usually off limits to members of the public, the tunnel is a feature of tours when the court holds open days.

The verdict

To answer Gareth's question, the official line from the Hobart City Council is "no", there isn't a network as such.

Instead there's an extensive system of drains, some tunnels still in use, some filled in and others that seem to be urban legend.