Mr Wooby owned a goodies stall located near the end of the lane in the 1870s. It was staffed by his daughters and was the most ramshackle structure in the area. Each evening as he picked up the girls Mr Wooby locked the swaying edifice with the largest padlock he had been able to obtain from Port Arthur.
John Wooby was a convicted housebreaker. He was sentenced to 14 years transportation and arrived in Hobart in 1837. He subsequently married another convict, Ann McNally, who had been convicted of stealing potatoes and sentenced to 7years transportation.
Wooby was granted his freedom in 1850 but was tried for larceny in 1864 and returned to prison for 3 months. He died of a fractured skull in 1872 after an argument with two men in one of the local hotels. It is thought that this was the hotel still operating on the corner of Montpelier Retreat.
He was a well known character in the area and the lane was known as Wooby's Lane unofficially for many years. When it became a street in 1998 it was, after some argument, officially named Wooby's Lane.
The Restaurant was opened in 1981 mainly for after theatre snacks and a night club. It gradually broadened its trade and went through a cafe cum restaurant stage until 1996 It then changed to a serious restaurant specialising in fresh Tasmanian produce all freshly cooked on the premises. An innovative plan, to have cooks in contact with the customers, was introduced at that time.
Unfortunately the Restaurant had to move from the charming stone building in Wooby's lane in July 2003 because of the inability to secure a suitable lease from the Salamanca Arts Centre who control the Government owned buildings.
John Addison has been the owner since 1987. All the current staff have been apprenticed and trained in house. Scott Webberley has worked here since 1990 and was Chef from 1995. He still works here part-time as a relief Chef.
