Here's the View!

As you all know, the other day I tried my hardest to take some pictures of the view from Mount Nelson, but the low cloud proved to be too much of an obstacle. 

On Wednesday the low cloud was gone, so once my husband got back from work we drove up to the lookout to take some photos for you. Unfortunately, it was a bit hazy, so it is difficult to see the some of the most distant places, such as the Tasman Peninsular, but it is still gorgeous!

This is what you first see when you arrive at the Signal Station lookout. The pole is not the original semaphore, which was dismantled over a century ago.

When there is no fog there is actually a view! The lookout has a fantastic outlook. However, if you want to look over Hobart you will not be able to see it from here. Instead, you will need to walk over to a different lookout.

This is the view from the lookout that overlooks Hobart. At the moment there is a cruise ship in--quite a common occurrence. If you squint a little you can see the Tasman Bridge.

There are a lot of benches to sit on up here, each with a beautiful view. However, you do get very cool breezes up here, so it isn't particularly nice to sit still for an extended period of time.

This very hazy photo looks over Droughty Point (light green) and the beginning of South Arm. Beyond that (barely visible) is the Tasman Peninsular, where Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur are located.

In the haze is the rest of South Arm. Lots of people have shacks down there. Beyond it is the Southern Ocean and Antarctica!

A closer view of South Arm. In this shot you can see Betsey Island (that big lump) and the thin strip of land that connects South Arm to the rest of Tasmania. Apparently all the people who commit suicide off the Tasman Bridge are washed up on that long thin strip of land. I bet you all wanted to know that lovely little fact.

In the foreground is the Spit--a small peninsular that comes off the end of South Arm. You can see the beginning of it in the photo above. Beyond that is the first part of South Arm and in the background is the Tasman Peninsular.

What I love so much about this view is how it is layered (for lack of a better word). There is water, and then some land. Then some more water and then another strip of land. And then it repeats again. Beautiful.

To get a better idea of the view, follow these instuctions:

1. Follow this link to Google Maps.

2. Copy and paste this text into the search box: the station cafe Mount Nelson TAS

3. Zoom in as much as you can until it changes to street view. Now, it will be as if you are standing there! If you swivel it the whole way around, you will also see Mount Wellington, and the public toilets! (The brick builing with the little round window.) I know, exciting!

Signal Stations: What Was Their Purpose?

So far, you have seen pictures of Mount Nelson (and today you'll see a few more!), but my darling husband told me he wanted more words, so more words it is!

Yesterday I took you up to the Signal Station to show you the view. Thick fog, however, changed that (but don't worry, I will take those photos for you!). I studied Tasmanian Literature and history when I was at university, so I think I tend to take it for granted that everyone knows what the purpose of the signal station was. For those of you who don't know, here is a brief outline of the purpose of the Mount Nelson signal station.

A corner table in the signalman's cottage, now transformed into The Station Cafe. This table would usually overlook Storm Bay and the Tasman Peninsular, but on Tuesday fog was the only thing to be seen.

THE MOUNT NELSON SIGNAL STATION

The signal station on Mount Nelson was the first one to be constructed in Tasmania, back in 1811. It was situated in a very strategic place and served two purposes. Before telling you what these purposes are, I'll explain what the signal station would have looked like.

The original signal station was a tall pole, to which flags could be attatched to send signals to Hobart. In 1829 a new type of semaphore (or signal station) reached Tasmania: the moveable arm semaphore. Like the orginal one it was a tall pole, but had moveable arms to which flags could be attatched. This particular system had three arms, and could send several hundred different messages. The Mount Nelson semaphore was unique in that it was used for two purposes. As a result of its dual usage, it had two sets of arms and was 80 feet tall (24.4 meters).

Here is a picture of what it looked like: 

 A portion of the text below the picture: The Last Semaphore Signal. John Beattie, c. 1890.The last semaphore signal code, 343 "Forgotten" was sent from here to the Mulgrave Battery Signal Station at Castray Esplanade, Battery Point around 1890 as a farewell to visual telegraphy. The semaphore was dismantled shortly after.

The lower set of arms was used to send shipping information, and the higher set was used for communicating with Port Arthur, a large penal settlement on the Tasman Peninsular. It was Charles O'Hara Booth who saw the importance of having a way to communicate rapidly between Port Arthur and Hobart (for example, if a prisoner escaped) and he set up a system of signal stations between the two locations.

Apparently, if it was a fine day, a short message and reply could be completed in about quarter of an hour. This is quite impressive, especially when you compare it to current modes of communication. A telephone call could easily take just as long, particularly if you can't find the phone number. Email also takes a few minutes each way, longer if the internet connection is slow, and much longer if the receiver is away from the computer.

The semaphore system worked well, but in 1880 the electric telegraph arrived and the signal station was no longer needed. The last signal was sent soon after this: 343 "forgotten".

I love the gloom in this picture, but I'm certain signalling would have been impossible in this kind of weather.

Are you interested in more information? As a starting place, look here to see where I got mine.


Just a little postscript.

It seems appropriate that it is on Rememberence Day that I write this (even though it will not be posted until the 12th). Just as the Signal Stations are still remembered, neither are the men who gave their lives so we could have freedom "forgotten".

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

 

No View From the Top

One thing that I absolutely love about Tasmania is the weather. The other day  (Monday) was 30'C and brilliantly sunny. The next day (Tuesday) was foggy and damp, apparently reaching 19'C. I love it! Unfortunately for you, however, the fog meant that there was zero view from the signal station lookout. On the flipside, the atmospheric quality of some of the photographs is fantastic.

This was Tuesday on Mount Nelson:

This was taken from about the same place the last photo in yesterday's post. 

The fog is so thick I can't even see to the other side of the oval.

YUM.

The tiny little lookout with an amazing view... of fog.

A view of the Signalman's cottage from  inside the lookout. Check out the reflection of my hand!

This was taken by John Beattie, c. 1890.  Click on it to open it in another window and read the text. I apologize in advance for how blurry it is.

Hmm... I don't know what these were used for, but check out the detailing on the ceiling and walls. I love it!

 Pictures of some of the flags that would have been used at this signal station. 

Under the eaves of the lookout. Such lovely details. 

Usually you would see Hobart.  Today it is just fog. Lovely, atmospheric fog!

A plaque on the outside of the lookout.  Click it to enlarge.

By the time I walked home the fog was starting to lift. The trees on the far side of the oval are actually visible here!

I think I can safely say that the fog and low visibility didn't ruin my photoshoot - it just dramatically changed it from what it was meant to be! Stay around for Attempt Two: Will We Finally See the View? Tomorrow, I'll be sharing a little history and maybe some photos of the Signalman's cottage (now a restaurant).

Mount Nelson: The Hill I Live On

Earthquakes have epicentres.

People have bellybuttons.

Possums have homes in hollow trees. Some of these trees I can see from my loungeroom window.

Here are some of the trees that are possum homes.

I love where I'm living at the moment. At an elevation of approximately 300m, Mount Nelson is high enough to get snow, and on hot days the cool breezes come mid afternoon. If I walk just a little way I have a magnificent view over Hobart and the Tasman Peninsula, which I will show you later this week.

Just a hint of the view that you'll be seeing soon!

Mount Nelson has a tavern, a local shop, the Signal Station Restaurant (my photos in few days!), a B&B, a firestation, a medical centre, a pharmacy, a sports oval and playground (with public toilets), a primary school and Tasmanian Polytechnic (formerly Hobart College). There is no petrol station. There are buses only once a hour. On the weekend there are practically no buses at all. If I catch the bus it takes me twenty minutes to half an hour to get to the centre of Hobart. About a third of the trip goes down "the bends" - a stretch of road buses were never meant to travel. One day soon I'll take you along with me.

Here's a bus trying to prove me wrong... they really aren't very frequent!

There are walking tracks all over Mount Nelson, which is surrounded by bush reserves. One reserve is dedicated to the most well-known Tasmanian Aborigine: Truganini. There is a small memorial to the Aborigines near the Signal Station, which I will show you in a few days.

Hmm, I don't think there are any possums up here.

This week is all about Mount Nelson. Tomorrow, I'm taking you on a walk around the bush reserve near my house, so there will be lots of photos for you.

If there is anything you would like to know about Mount Nelson that hasn't been mentioned leave a comment!