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Hobart Laneways, Hidden Street Art, History and Creativity

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There’s something about laneways that makes a city tick.

They’re the shortcuts, the quiet corners, the places where you stumble upon something unexpected, a splash of street art, a hidden café, or a view that stops you mid-stride. Hobart’s got plenty of these tucked-away treasures, and they tell stories that the main streets just can’t match.

From convict-carved steps to street art galleries that change with the wind, these narrow passages connect more than just buildings, they link past and present, locals and visitors, the everyday and the extraordinary. Grab your walking shoes and let’s explore some of Hobart’s most captivating laneways.

1. Bidencopes Lane: Where History Meets the Spray Can

If Hobart’s laneway scene has a beating heart, it’s Bidencopes Lane. Tucked behind Murray Street and the Centrepoint shopping complex, this narrow passage is now Hobart’s most vibrant street art gallery, a riot of colour, creativity, and constantly evolving expression.

But rewind the clock 150 years, and you’d find something entirely different here. This laneway takes its name from Joseph Bidencope, a Polish-born tailor who arrived in Hobart in 1858 and built one of Tasmania’s most exclusive fashion houses. By the 1860s, Bidencope’s Murray Street establishment was the place to shop if you were anyone who was anyone—think naval uniforms, military regalia, and hats that earned international awards in Philadelphia and Sydney.

His hat factory in nearby Battery Point employed orphaned boys as apprentices and churned out 30 dozen hats a day using rabbit fur felt. At its peak in 1874, the business manufactured and sold £3000 worth of hats across Tasmania and Sydney—serious money back then. The fashionable and fastidious shopped exclusively at Bidencopes, where you’d be served by courtly gentlemen in beautiful wooden cabinets.

Fast-forward to today, and the lane that bears his name has a completely different vibe. Since the 1990s, Bidencopes Lane has been a meeting place for graffiti and street artists, with thousands of stencils, throw-ups, characters, paste-ups, and tags layering up over the decades to create an evolving tapestry. What was once considered an eyesore of random tagging has transformed into one of Hobart’s coolest destinations.

In 2019, the City of Hobart made it official, a section of Bidencopes became Hobart’s first legal permission wall.

Anyone can paint here, any day of the week (between 9am and 10pm), as long as they sign up for a free permit online. It’s that simple. Your artwork might only last a day before another artist reclaims the space, but that’s the beauty of it, it’s raw, temporary, and always changing.

Throughout the year, the lane hosts Paint Jams where even more walls open up for artists to create live works while the community gathers to watch. These events have helped turn what was once a neglected rear laneway into a space that attracts locals, tourists, and artists from across the country.

The transformation hasn’t just been about the art. New businesses are moving in, there’s talk of coffee shops and pop-up spaces bringing even more life to this once-forgotten corner.

It’s become a proper destination, proof that sometimes the best galleries don’t have walls, they are the walls.

If you’re keen to explore, access Bidencopes Lane from Murray Street (look for the entrance near Centrepoint) or from Liverpool Street. Come with your camera, take your time, and don’t be surprised if the art looks completely different the next time you visit.

2. Collins Court: Hobart’s Golden Gateway

Step off busy Collins Street into Collins Court, and you’ll find yourself in a pedestrianised laneway that feels like Hobart’s answer to Melbourne’s laneways, with its own distinctly Tassie twist.

The transformation of Collins Court is a textbook example of good urban design breathing life into forgotten spaces.

Before 2015, this laneway between Collins Street and Trafalgar Place was underutilised and overlooked. Then came Stage One of the redevelopment, and suddenly Hobart had its own pilot project for laneway culture.

The centrepiece? A striking golden architectural frame that spans the laneway like a deconstructed gold bar, a cheeky nod to the “delicious rumour” that gold bullion was once smuggled down this very lane from the nearby Reserve Bank. The form also references the ornate gold frames of artworks from the old auction house that once stood here. At night, this golden structure becomes a lighting gantry, bathing the space in a warm glow that draws you in.

New paving, comfortable seating, and leafy greenery complete the picture, creating what the designers call “an Alice Through The Looking Glass moment in the city”. The space has been designed for loose, flexible play and performance, with power points, free wifi, and services for food and drink vans. It’s a multi-use space that appeals to all ages—somewhere you can grab a coffee, meet a mate, or just rest your feet between shopping and sightseeing.

The results speak for themselves.

Increased pedestrian traffic has brought new businesses to the laneway, including the excellent Dandy Lane Café, tucked down at the end of Collins Court. This hidden gem serves all-day brunch with a hefty side of Tasmanian friendliness—think French toast, fried chicken benny, and baby Dutch pancakes served in their own little cast iron pans.

Collins Court also provides direct access through to St David’s Cathedral and Macquarie Street, making it a genuinely useful shortcut as well as a pleasant place to linger. Plans for a second stage of development include an all-abilities access ramp, a sculptural octopus by renowned civic sculptor Ben Gilbert that will double as a playspace for kids, and even more seating.

The success of Collins Court has shown what’s possible when councils back creative urban design.

What was once an antisocial, vandalised space is now a genuine asset—a colourful, comfortable, and well-used public space that makes Hobart’s CBD feel more welcoming.

3. Harrington Lane: Hobart’s semi-secret

Harrington Lane proper might not be as visually striking as Bidencopes or as designed as Collins Court, but what it lacks in Instagram appeal, it makes up for in atmosphere. Nearby is where you’ll find hidden bars, intimate restaurants, and those late-night haunts that locals love to keep semi-secret.

If you’re looking for Hobart’s bar scene, chances are you’ll end up on or around Harrington Street

Wander along Harrington Street and duck into the laneways, and you’ll discover spots like Pablo’s Cocktails and Dreams at 101-103 Harrington Street, where the cocktails are inventive and the vibe is relaxed. Nearby, you’ll find Cultura Italian Bar & Restaurant, Urban Greek, and Astor Grill—all within easy stumbling distance if you’re planning a progressive dinner.

The beauty of this part of town is how the lanes connect you to different pockets of Hobart’s dining and drinking scene. One minute you’re on Harrington Street, the next you’re discovering a courtyard bar or a basement wine cellar you never knew existed. It’s the kind of exploring that rewards the curious and makes you feel like you’ve found your own secret Hobart.

4. Kelly Steps & Lane (Salamanca): The Stairway Through Time

Cut into solid stone in 1839, Kelly Steps aren’t just a way to get from Salamanca Place up to Battery Point—they’re a journey through Hobart’s colonial past, carved one chisel strike at a time.

Named after whaling captain and explorer James Kelly, these 48 sandstone steps were built when Battery Point sat atop a cliff overlooking the wharfs of Sullivans Cove.

The warehouses that line Salamanca today? They were built with stone quarried from the very cliffs where Kelly carved these steps.

Back in the 1800s, these steps were the main access route between the working wharfs below and the residential streets of Battery Point above, where dockworkers, mariners, and merchants lived. Today, they’re still a daily pathway for Battery Point residents and a bit of living history for visitors.

The steps themselves are beautifully weathered, framed by stone walls on either side that create a narrow, almost tunnel-like ascent. Early morning or late afternoon light catches the texture of the sandstone beautifully—photographers love this spot for good reason.

At the bottom, Kelly’s Lane leads directly to Salamanca Place, right in the heart of the action on market days.

At the top, you emerge onto Kelly Street in Battery Point, surrounded by heritage cottages, colonial architecture, and the kind of streetscapes that transport you straight back to the 1800s.

The steps connect two very different worlds—the bustling, tourist-heavy precinct of Salamanca below and the quiet, residential charm of Battery Point above. It’s a transition that takes less than a minute to walk but spans nearly 200 years of Hobart’s story.

5. Wooby’s Lane (Salamanca): The Artisan’s Courtyard

Wooby’s Lane is part of the Salamanca Arts Centre precinct, accessed via a courtyard that feels like a hidden garden in the heart of the city. This is where artists actually work, not just display—you can peer into studios and workshops, watch makers at their craft, and chat with the people who create the work.

The star attraction here is Wooby Lane Gallery, which opened in 2021 and focuses on original, eclectic glass art.

Run by married couple Laurie Young and Christian Arnold—both working glass artists themselves—the gallery features over 30 local Australian and New Zealand glass artists alongside painters, woodworkers, ceramicists, jewellers, and more.

But Wooby’s Lane is more than just one gallery. The State of Flux Gallery and Workshop is here too, a contemporary jewellery gallery where four members use the space as both workshop and exhibition area. Visitors are encouraged to watch the making process first-hand—it’s all about demystifying craft and connecting people directly with the artists.

The leafy courtyard setting makes Wooby’s Lane feel like a retreat from the busier parts of Salamanca. It’s open seven days, and if you time your visit right, you might catch artists at work or one of the various exhibitions and performances that happen throughout the year.

This is the Salamanca that locals know—the working arts precinct behind the tourist bustle, where creativity happens daily and you can buy directly from the makers. It’s authentic, unpretentious, and exactly the kind of discovery that makes exploring Hobart’s laneways so rewarding.

6. The Railway Roundabout Tunnels

Look, we’ll level with you, the Railway Roundabout is polarising. Some call it a confusing traffic nightmare. Others reckon it’s a mid-century marvel. The UK’s Roundabout Appreciation Society named it the best roundabout in the world in 2015, which is either the ultimate compliment or the ultimate oddity.

But strip away the traffic chaos, and you’ll find something genuinely interesting: a network of pedestrian tunnels connecting the city to the Domain, all centred around a fountain that looks like a UFO landed in 1963 and just… stayed.

Built in 1962-63 for the main railway station (now the ABC building), the roundabout was designed by three young workers from the Cadbury chocolate factory—engineer Rod Cuthbert, draftsman Vere Cooper, and designer Geoff Parr. Their creation features a sunken garden with a space-age fountain sporting 92 coloured lights, 120 fountain jets, and a central structure that screams “The Jetsons”.

The real secret, though, is the pedestrian tunnels beneath the roundabout.

These underpasses allow you to walk from the city to the Domain—home to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, University of Tasmania facilities, and major sporting venues—without dodging traffic. The tunnels themselves are a bit of a time warp, with that distinctive mid-century concrete aesthetic that feels both retro and futuristic.

After years of decline, the fountain was restored in 2012-13 with new technology that allows easy colour changes and wind sensors to control water jets. Now it lights up in different colours for special events, adding a bit of theatre to your evening commute.

Fair warning: some people reckon the tunnels are haunted or built on “dark ley lines” (the internet is a wild place). Others just remember them as the practical pedestrian link they were designed to be. Either way, they’re a unique piece of Hobart’s urban history and a reminder that, once upon a time, city planners dreamed big and built for the future.

7. Nanny Goat Lane (Battery Point): The Shortcut with a View

This steep, skinny set of steps is pure practicality—a shortcut connecting Quayle Street to St George’s Terrace that residents have used for generations. Originally, many of Battery Point’s access lanes like this were made by the residents themselves, not the city, which gives them an authentic, organic feel.

What makes Nanny Goat Lane special is the view.

Climb these steps and you’re rewarded with an amazing vista across Hobart. It’s become a magnet for selfie-snapping tourists and even made the Sydney Morning Herald’s list of reasons to visit Tasmania. But for locals, it’s just the quickest way to get from one street to another—which is exactly what makes it charming.

The lane itself is narrow and atmospheric, with the kind of worn steps and weathered character that only comes from nearly 200 years of foot traffic. It’s the sort of place where you can easily imagine colonial Hobart—merchants, dockworkers, and mariners using these same shortcuts to navigate the steep terrain of Battery Point.

Today, Nanny Goat Lane sits right in the heart of one of Hobart’s most heritage-rich neighbourhoods.

You’re a short walk from the Georgian elegance of Narryna Heritage Museum, the workers’ cottages of Arthur Circus, and the cafes and boutiques along Hampden Road. It’s also just a few minutes from Kelly Steps if you’re walking between Battery Point and Salamanca.

While it might not have the street art of Bidencopes or the golden frames of Collins Court, Nanny Goat Lane has something even better—it’s a genuine, unpretentious part of Battery Point’s fabric, used daily by locals and loved for exactly what it is: a shortcut with character and a cracking view.

8. In The Hanging Garden: Hobart’s Nightlife and Dining Destination

In The Hanging Garden has quickly become Hobart’s go-to spot for live music, great food, and nights that turn into mornings. This standalone cultural precinct in central Hobart is part garden party, part live music venue, part neighbourhood hangout, tiered gardens, beer gardens, the iconic Odeon Theatre, and Altar Bar all working together to create an atmosphere that feels genuinely alive.

The precinct has become a hub for weekly club nights, live performances, and carefully curated community events.

What makes In The Hanging Garden different is that it doesn’t feel like a corporate entertainment complex. There’s greenery, character, and a real sense of community. It’s the kind of place where you bump into locals, catch live music from emerging artists, and feel like you’ve discovered something that belongs to Hobart rather than just passing through it.

The tiered garden layout means you can be part of the action or find a quiet corner depending on your mood. The beer garden is perfect for a relaxed Friday arvo, the Odeon Theatre draws serious music and performance crowds, and Altar Bar keeps the nights going long.

It’s become the kind of destination that gives Hobart’s nightlife real character—somewhere that’s about more than just drinks and dancing. It’s about community, creativity, and good times with genuine local flavour.

9. Mathers & Criterion Lane: The Cooperative Spirit Lives On

Not all of Hobart’s laneways are about street art or colonial history. Some, like Mathers Lane off Liverpool Street, tell quieter stories about community, craft, and keeping local traditions alive.

Since 1942, Mathers Lane has been home to remarkable community enterprises.

The CWA (Country Women’s Association) Gift Shop started here in 1949 before moving to its current home at 165 Elizabeth Street in 1951. For 80-plus years, CWA members have brought handcraft, produce, cakes, jams, flowers, and special occasion gifts to sell—a tradition that helped families through tough times and continues today.

But the real treasure of Mathers Lane is The Flower Room, Tasmania’s oldest cooperative.

Founded in 1942 by sisters Hally and Emma Bayly, this cooperative of local cooks, gardeners, and handcraft workers has been selling their goods for more than 80 years.

Located in Mathers Lane proper, opposite Mathers House, The Flower Room is still going strong. Members sell everything from baby items and hand knits to pre-loved clothing, bags, flowers, and locally made crafts. It’s the kind of place where you find genuine handmade goods, support local makers, and connect with a piece of Hobart’s community history all in one visit.

What makes Mathers Lane special is this sense of continuity. In a city that’s rapidly changing, this laneway maintains its connection to older traditions of community cooperation, local trade, and supporting small-scale makers. It’s not flashy, it’s not trying to be Melbourne or Sydney—it’s just authentically Hobart.

Hobart Laneways FAQ:

What are some must-visit laneways in Hobart?

Some local favourites include Bidencopes Lane for ever-changing street art, Kelly Steps for a hit of colonial history, Wooby’s Lane for artisan vibes, and the vibrant In The Hanging Garden precinct for nightlife and eats.

Where can I find the best street art in Hobart?

Bidencopes Lane is ground zero for legal murals and ever-evolving graffiti, while pockets of creativity are popping up all around the CBD precinct.

Is In The Hanging Garden family-friendly?

During the day, In The Hanging Garden is a relaxed spot for all ages, but it transforms into a lively, music-focused precinct in the evenings that is more suited to adults.

Can I visit these laneways year-round?

Absolutely! Hobart’s laneways thrive in every season—from winter market nights to springtime street art strolls. Just bring a jacket; Tassie weather likes to keep you guessing.

What’s special about Kelly Steps?

Carved in the 1800s, these sandstone steps link the historic hustle of Salamanca with the charm of Battery Point, giving you a literal walk through Hobart’s past.

Is it safe to explore the laneways at night?

Most central Hobart laneways are safe and well-used at night, especially those in nightlife precincts like In The Hanging Garden and Salamanca. Always use common sense, just like you would in any city.

Are there local food options in the laneways?

Yes! Expect everything from artisan bakeries and hole-in-the-wall cafés to pop-up events and late-night snacks, especially in Collins Court and In The Hanging Garden.

Do I need to book for music events at In The Hanging Garden?

While the gardens themselves are open access, ticketed gigs and special events at venues like Altar Bar or the Odeon should be booked in advance, especially on weekends.

Is there parking nearby?

Hobart CBD has several carparks and streets within walking distance. Try to leave the car behind if you want to hop between laneways and nightlife spots with no worries.

Hobart and Beyond Editorial Team

The Hobart and Beyond Editorial Team is dedicated to bringing you the best insider tips, local stories, and up-to-date guides to exploring southern Tasmania.

Article Details:

Article Created: 18 November 2025

Last Update: 4 December 2025

Author: Darren Wright