Battery Point:

Today, Battery Point is all quaint cottages, quiet streets, and waterfront charm, but scratch the surface, and you’ll find convict sweat, cannon fire, and a neighbourhood built on defending Hobart from invasion.

The battery of guns stationed here in 1818 was meant to scare off pirates, the French, or anyone else snooping around the Derwent River. But over time? The cannons fell silent, and the convict-built homes and warehouses started telling their own stories.

•  Walk from Hobart CBD:
  • A short 10-minute stroll from       Salamanca Place.
  • Follow Kelly’s Steps,built by convicts,to climb from the waterfront into Battery Point.

•   Arthur Circus:
  • A ring of convict cottages around a central green, once home to artillerymen and their families.
• St. George’s Anglican Church:
  • Dominates the skyline with its classic tower,built in 1838.
• Hidden alleyways and narrow lanes:
  • Perfect for wandering, spotting old sandstone walls, and       imagining convict footsteps echoing back.

•   Built by convicts:
  • Many of the early homes and buildings were constructed by assigned convict labour, stone by stone, brick by brick.
• Defending the colony:
  • The original battery of cannons sat on the point to guard against naval threats. By the 1870s? Those threats were gone, and the area slowly turned residential.
• Ghosts of the past:
  • Locals still whisper about convict ghosts roaming the lanes at night. Whether you believe it or not, Battery Point oozes history from every stone.

•   Walk it at sunset:
  • The views over the Derwent are incredible.
• Grab a coffee or bite to eat:
  • Cafés line the quiet streets,the perfect mix of modern comforts and historic vibes.
• Explore Kelly’s Steps:
  • Built in 1839 by convicts, these stairs are the gateway between Battery Point and Salamanca Place.

Today, Battery Point feels like one of Hobart’s most picturesque neighbourhoods, cobbled streets, quaint cottages, waterfront views. But rewind to the early 1800s, and this place was the frontline of defence, where cannons pointed out to sea, ready to protect the fragile little colony from whatever might drift into the Derwent.

It all started in 1818, when Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered the construction of a battery of guns right here on this headland, guarding Hobart Town from enemy ships. Remember, Britain was still wary of French threats and pirate raids, this wasn’t paranoia; it was survival.

Convicts, as always, did the heavy lifting, hauling stone, building fortifications, sweating under the watchful eyes of soldiers. This wasn’t just about military might. Like everything in Van Diemen’s Land, it was about sending a message. The cannons at Battery Point were colonial insurance, a warning shot against rebellion, invasion, or anyone thinking of challenging the British hold on Tasmania.

But here's the thing:

The guns never fired a shot in anger. Not once.

And yet, their presence helped shape Hobart’s sense of safety, reminding everyone, convicts and free settlers alike, that the Empire was watching.

Over time, as the threat of invasion faded, the battery was dismantled in the 1870s, but the name stuck. Battery Point transformed into the seaside suburb you see today, but those roots of defence and control run deep beneath the surface.

Wander through Kelly’s Steps or down to the Salamanca waterfront, and you’re walking paths once tread by convict workers, soldiers, and the power structures that held the colony together.