Semaphore Cottage

Architect: Unknown (1818)

Secrets of the Signal Station

Ever wondered how messages travelled across Tasmania long before telephones and the internet?

Hidden within Princes Park is one of Battery Point’s oldest treasures. Built in 1818, Semaphore Cottage is the oldest surviving building in Battery Point and offers a fascinating glimpse into Hobart’s early military and maritime history.

Originally part of the Mulgrave Battery, the cottage played an important role in Hobart’s port signal system, which would eventually develop into Australia’s most extensive semaphore network, connecting Hobart with Port Arthur and communities across south-eastern Tasmania.

As Hobart’s defences evolved, so too did the site. The original battery was reconstructed in 1841–42 and renamed the Prince of Wales Battery, before the addition of the Albert Battery in 1854. Together, these fortifications formed an important part of the Derwent Defence Network, protecting the growing colonial settlement and its busy harbour.

Today, the surviving Guard House and Signal Station offer a rare example of Old Colonial Georgian architecture and tell the story of a time when communication relied on signals travelling across the landscape.

For Open House Hobart 2026, Maritime Museum Tasmania is opening the doors to Semaphore Cottage, inviting visitors to discover one of Hobart’s earliest surviving buildings and the remarkable stories hidden within its walls.

Open: Sat 7 Nov, 1.00pm – 4.00pm