Battery Point & the waterfront
Battery Point and the waterfront are the historic, walkable soul of Hobart. Down at Sullivans Cove, fishing punts sell fresh catch beside Constitution Dock; just uphill, the colonial cottages of Battery Point cluster around the village green of Arthur Circus, reached by the old Kelly's Steps. It's a compact, atmospheric quarter made for wandering — here's how to enjoy it.
Sullivans Cove & the docks
The waterfront is where Hobart lives. Wander Constitution Dock and Victoria Dock past the fishing fleet, grab fish and chips from the floating punts, and settle in at a dockside bar or restaurant. This is the finish line of the Sydney to Hobart each New Year, and the launch point for the MONA ferry. It's all flat and central — a lovely stroll, especially at dusk. See our things to do.
Battery Point & Arthur Circus
Climb Kelly's Steps from Salamanca and you're in Battery Point, a colonial village frozen in time. Narrow lanes of Georgian and Victorian cottages lead to Arthur Circus — a ring of tiny homes around a green — with pubs, cafes, antique shops and glimpses of the Derwent between the rooftops. It rewards aimless wandering. Pair it with Salamanca below for the classic Hobart heritage walk.
Walking it all together
The joy here is that everything links on foot. Start at the waterfront, browse Salamanca, climb Kelly's Steps to Battery Point, and loop back for a meal by the docks — a flat, easy half-day. Late December brings the Sydney to Hobart and its festive crowds; any other time is quieter and lovely. Cap it with the city's food, wine and whisky.
Battery Point & the waterfront: your questions
Battery Point is Hobart's beautifully preserved colonial village — a knot of narrow lanes and 19th-century cottages on the rise above the waterfront, named for the gun battery that once guarded the harbour. Its centrepiece is Arthur Circus, a ring of tiny Georgian cottages around a village green. It's a delight to wander on foot, with cafes, pubs and antique shops, and connects to Salamanca by the historic Kelly's Steps. See our things to do.
Hobart's waterfront at Sullivans Cove is the walkable heart of the city. Wander Constitution Dock and Victoria Dock among the fishing boats, buy fresh fish and chips from the floating punts, browse Salamanca, and enjoy the waterfront restaurants and bars. It's the finish line of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race each New Year, and a lovely spot for a stroll at dusk. Combine it easily with Battery Point just uphill.
Kelly's Steps are a historic sandstone stairway, cut in the 1830s, that climb from Salamanca Place up to Battery Point. They're a charming shortcut and a piece of living history, linking the market precinct below with the colonial cottages above in a couple of minutes. Following them is the classic way to combine the two areas on foot — do the market, then climb the steps and lose yourself in Battery Point's lanes.
The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney on 26 December (Boxing Day) and the leading maxis reach Constitution Dock in Hobart within a day or two, so the waterfront buzzes over the New Year period. It coincides with the waterfront food festival Taste of Summer and makes late December a festive, wonderful time to be on the Hobart waterfront. See our events guide.
Allow a relaxed half day. You can stroll the waterfront and docks, eat fish and chips off the punts, climb Kelly's Steps to Battery Point, potter around Arthur Circus and stop for a coffee or a pub lunch — all in a compact, flat and walkable area. Add Salamanca (right alongside) and you've an easy, rewarding day on foot. It's especially lovely in the late-afternoon light.