A small whitewashed signal station built in 1811 on top of Mount Nelson, originally used to flag the approach of ships to Hobart by semaphore, then by flag, and later by radio. The station could relay messages from Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula to Hobart via a chain of intermediate stations — a 90 km signal could be passed in 15 minutes. The original cottage and the later 1880s additions are open to walk through, with a small history display.
The view is the main reason to come: a 270-degree panorama over the Derwent estuary, Storm Bay, the Tasman Peninsula, Bruny Island, and the city below. The on-site Signal Station Brasserie has the best café-view in Hobart and serves a competent lunch. A 15-minute drive from the city; the Number 57 bus from the CBD also climbs the hill.