Shot Tower, Taroona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Shot Tower |
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The Shot Tower at Taroona
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| General information | |
| Type | Shot tower |
| Location | Taroona, Tasmania. |
| Country | Australia |
| Construction started | 1870 |
| Inaugurated | 8 September 1870 |
| Owner | Tasmanian government |
| Height | 192.6 feet (58.7 m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 10-3.9 metres |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Sandstone |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Joseph Moir |
| Engineer | Joseph Moir |
The Shot Tower at Taroona is a historic building shot tower between Hobart and Kingston, Tasmania. It was designed and built by Joseph Moir in 1870 in only eight months. One of only three remaining shot towers in Australia, it is incorrectly alleged to be the tallest remaining shot tower in the world and the tallest ever built in the Southern Hemisphere, which is disputed by the Clifton Hill Shot Tower.
It is however the sole claimant for the tallest stone shot tower in the Southern Hemisphere and first shot tower in the Southern Hemisphere. For four years it was the tallest building in Australia, and for one hundred years the tallest in Tasmania until it was superseded by the Mount Wellington broadcast tower. The building is listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register and was listed on the now defunct Register of the National Estate.
It is attached to a historic house known as Queensborough Glen, which was the residence of Joseph Moir for many years. The Shot Tower now operates as a tourist attraction, with visitors able to climb to the top, and visit the attached cafe.
Height
The tower has a height of 192.6 feet (58.7 m) with a diameter of either 10m or 6.37m at the base with either 258 or 318 steps.
