Shot Tower, Taroona, Shot tower in Taroona, Australia

The Shot Tower is a cylindrical sandstone structure that rises 58 meters above the waterside suburb of Taroona, forming a visible landmark in the area. Inside, 318 wooden steps lead to an observation gallery, while museum rooms, a gift shop, and a tearoom occupy the ground level.

Joseph Moir, a Scottish ironmonger who settled in Hobart in 1829, designed and built the tower in eight months; it was completed in 1870, and an inscription records the first shot dropped on 8 September 1870. It was the tallest building in the Australian colonies until 1875 and remained Tasmania's tallest structure until 1960. After federation in 1901 removed tariff protection, operations under William Baynton ceased in 1905, and his wife opened a tea shop at the base.

The tower shows how colonial workers made lead shot through a gravity-fed method that was common in Europe at the time. Walking around the structure, you can understand the practical steps involved in this old manufacturing craft.

The climb requires physical effort, but the steps are wide and well-maintained for a safe ascent to the top. Once you reach the gallery, the views reward the effort, and the ground-level facilities offer a place to rest afterward.

The Taroona tower is one of only three shot towers left in Australia, alongside Clifton Hill and Coop's in Melbourne, and the only one open to the public to climb. It is also the emblem of Taroona Primary School.