Kelly's Steps

Kelly's Steps are 48 sandstone steps carved directly into the cliff face, creating a pedestrian path between Battery Point above and Salamanca Place's waterfront district below. The stairs form a permanent route through the rocky landscape, with each step shaped from the natural stone.

James Kelly commissioned these steps in 1840 as a way to connect the residential Battery Point area with the warehouse district at Salamanca Place. The project reflected early efforts to improve movement between two important areas of the developing colonial port city.

The steps form a bridge between two distinct neighborhoods in daily life, one residential and one focused on the waterfront's commercial activity. Locals and visitors move between these areas along the carved path, which has become a natural part of how the city is used.

The steps are open and accessible at all times, offering a direct route between the two neighborhoods without detours. Wear appropriate footwear since the natural stone surface can become slippery when wet.

The sandstone blocks came from the same quarry that supplied stone for the nearby Salamanca Place warehouses. This shared source of materials meant the steps and surrounding buildings were created as part of one coordinated development effort.

Location: City of Hobart

GPS coordinates: -42.88716,147.33405

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:09