The name Battery Point came from the battery of guns placed on the point hill in 1818 over looking the Derwent waterways. This was part of the coastal defences of the era and have long since been removed.
The area fell into disrepute with dilapidated homes in the post sixties era and became known as the poor end of town as newer fresh suburbs were established in that post war boom era.
In the nineties however, a new influx of yuppies and investment saw the suburb take off in real estate values and in home redevelopment. This was partly due to Battery Point, on the south side, being so close to the city and a national trend for inner city housing.
Once values began going up, many residents began refurbishing their homes. Today many of these stately homes can be seen in their original best and many have exquisite views of Hobart, the Derwent River or surrounding suburbs,
Today, the area is generally known as one of the city's more prestigious suburbs, with numerous large and extravagant homes and apartment blocks. It adjoins the waterfront Salamanca area as well as the nearby prestige suburb of Sandy Bay.
There remains a large number of historic houses dating from the first European settlement of 'Hobart Town'. Probably most significant is Arthur's Circus with its cottages mostly originally constructed for the officers of the garrison. Part of this heritage is St John's Anglican Church with its stone steeple.
Battery Point exhibits a variety of streets. Some are wide and spacious whereas others are very narrow and limiting for traffic.
In recent years Battery Point residents have maintained a strong sense of community demanding noise restrictions and other measures aimed at safeguarding a sheltered lifestyle .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Point,_Tasmania
We were smitten by the architecture of so many of the older style homes, especially the old frame tall windows.
We visited a retired missionary who lives in an upstairs flat of one of these stately homes. The owners live in the country (rural Tasmania) and come to the city (Hobart) once or twice a fortnight.
Many of these Battery Point older homes have this arrangement, where in an earlier period they housed other members of their families or even company or military staff.
Battery Point certainly provided us an old world experience (the suburb and our 91 year old former missionary friend) in a very modern Australia.