Tucked between the sandstone walls of Salamanca and the rise into Battery Point, Kelly’s Steps offer one of Hobart’s simplest but most striking architectural links. Built in 1840 by explorer and whaler James Kelly, the staircase was carved straight into the cliff to create a direct route between the growing port below and the residential streets above.

There’s a strong visual contrast here—the clean vertical rise of the steps set between two rugged stone walls, and the shift in pace as you move from the busy precinct of Salamanca to the quieter heritage cottages at the top. It’s more laneway than lookout, which makes the light a little tricky—early and late in the day, the shadows can be harsh, but during overcast conditions or soft midday light, the textures really come alive.

Photographically, it’s all about composition and angles. Shooting from the bottom gives a nice vanishing-point effect, with sandstone rising on either side and the sky just visible at the top. From above, you get a tight descent into geometry—lines, railings, stone and shadow. There’s also plenty of opportunity to frame human scale into the shot without overwhelming the structure itself.

While it’s a transitional space, there’s something grounded and deliberate about it. Clean lines. Solid history. A quiet moment of connection between two very different parts of Hobart.