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Lookouts

Mount Nelson Lookout: Though not as well known or frequented as often as Mt. Wellington, its higher and more famous neighbour, Mt. Nelson is the perfect place to get an alternate bird's eye of Hobart and surrounds, particularly on the days when Mt. Wellington is shrouded and mist or snow, which is quite often. This lookout provides a dramatic panorama of the city even on days with relatively poor visibility. During the day a visitor can experience the beauty of the city, river and harbour and at night the city is studded with twinkling lights. Lunch or teas can be taken at the restaurant.
Location: Nelson Road, Mt. Nelson. How to get there: by car, travel south out of Hobart via Davey St and the Southern Outlet, take the Mt. Nelson exit at Tolmans Hill along Olinda Grove and on to the lookout at the end of Nelson Rd. As an alterative return route, return down Nelson Rd, ignoring Olinda Grove, making the zig zag descent down Nelson Rd.


Mt. Wellington: panoramic views of the city of Hobart and the River Derwent. No other Australian capital city has a lookout like Mt. Wellington. Towering 1270 metres behind the city, it is high enough to not only give views across Hobart and the upper and lower River Derwent, but Storm Bay in the east and the southern section of the vast World Heritage Tasmanian Wilderness areas are also visible from its peak. A road leads to a lookout at the summit. In good weather the Mt. Wellington lookout is less than a half-hour leisurely drive from Hobart city centre. When bad weather closes in, fog or ice and snow on the road make the journey slow and hazardous. At the best of times, it is nearly always windy, so make sure you are wear warm clothes for when you leave your car at the lookout, even if the weather down in Hobart is warm and pleasant.
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Taroona Shot Tower: Used in the manufacture of lead shot for muskets, the tower was built in 1870, at which time it was the tallest man made structure in Australia. One of three surviving in Australia, it is a remarkable tapered structure 48 metres tall and features an internal spiral staircase of pit-sawn timber and an external gallery at its top which was probably used to store firewood for the upper cauldron. The gallery is now a viewing platform and offers views across the lower River Derwent.
Location: 234 Channel Hwy, Taroona. Entry fees apply.


Truganinni Memorial Lookout: Bruny Island is in fact two separate islands that are connected by a sandy spit. Truganinni Memorial Lookout, located at the highest point of the spit, offers panoramic views across Adventure Bay on the west side and D'Entrecasteaux Channel on the east. At the base of the steps are boardwalks and viewing platforms where you can observe the short-tailed shearwaters and the little (fairy) penguins. The lookout honours the Nuenonne people and Truganinni, a famous Aboriginal woman, who inhabited Lunnawannalonna (Bruny Island) before the European settlement of Bruny.


Mt Mangana, Bruny Island: being the highest peak on Bruny Island (571m), Mt. Mangana is the perfect spot to take in the panoramic views such a location affords. The lookout is on the road between Adventure Bay and Lunawanna and can be reached by car or on foot.

Water Vistas

Upper Derwent River: If you are in Hobart and intend visiting the village of New Norfolk, the best time to make the 35 km journey is early in the morning. After passing Granton, Lyell Highway follows the River Derwent on its southern bank to New Norfolk. In the morning the river beside this strech of road is often perfectly still, and the ever changing mirror image on the water as you drive alongside the river is a beautiful sight to behold. Photographs of this serene view, like the one above, unfortunately do not do it justice.


D'Entrecastaux Channel: There are some great photographic vantage points along the coast between Blackmans Bay and Gordon if you want a good shot of the channel. Piersons Point is a great for shots of the mouth of the River Derwent and the Iron Pot Light (you'll need a telephoto lens for a sharp shot of this historic light). Tinderbox is the pick of the locations for shots down the channel or across it to Bruny Island.



Betsey Island and Storm Bay

South Arm: rarely seen by most visitors to Hobart because it is somewhat out of the way, a drive along the peninsula on the eastern side of the Derwent River via Rokeby gives interesting views of the river's lower reaches as well as access to some of Hobart's best beaches. The views across Frederick Henry Bay to the east, Ralphs Bay to the west and Storm Bay to the south render different perspectives of the area from those more commonly seen.


Bruny Island: South Bruny Island has some fabulous locations for taking photographs of the island's scenic and, in places, its extremely rugged coastline. Bruny Island Cruises operates sea tours out of Adventure Bay which take in the magnificent cliffs, gorges and caves of the island's south-east coast (above).

If you'd rather stay on land the best coastal scenery is at the south end of the island. The area around Cloudy Bay and Cape Bruny (above) is a popular spot among photographers as it has road access. Other picturesque locations, like Boreel Head and Mangana Bluff, can only be reached on foot but are worth the effort.


Huon River: as well as its orchards, boutique wineries, farms and villages, the Huon valley is known for its scenic beauty. The lower reaches of the river are picturesque and the drive between Franklin and Dover in particular has some great locations for photographers looking for a classic still-water landscape shot to mount on the wall at home. The banner photo on the Huon Valley page was taken in the early morning near Dover. If you are after a good shot of the whole valley, there are some good vantage points like the one below on the road between Cygnet and Wattle Grove.


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Hobart For Everyone is published by Stephen Yarrow © Stephen Yarrow 2011 | Email us