Richmond
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Richmond

Richmond

Georgian Tasmanian village in the Coal River Valley, centred on Australia's oldest stone bridge.

Richmond is a small Georgian village in the Coal River Valley, about 25 kilometres northeast of Hobart. It is one of the best-preserved colonial settlements in Australia, and its main street of sandstone buildings looks much as it did in the 1830s.

The Richmond Bridge, built by convict labour in 1823, is the oldest stone span bridge in Australia and the centrepiece of the village. The Richmond Gaol, which predates Port Arthur by five years, is worth a visit for the cramped cells and the flogging yard — it gives a more intimate and less theatrical sense of convict punishment than the larger site down the peninsula. St John's Catholic Church, finished in 1837, is the oldest Catholic church in Australia.

Beyond the history, the Coal River Valley has become one of Tasmania's wine regions, with cellar doors producing cool-climate pinot noir and sparkling wine. Richmond makes an easy half-day trip from Hobart, or a pleasant stop on the way to the east coast.

Guide

Getting There

Richmond is 25 kilometres northeast of Hobart on the Coal River Valley road. By car, the drive takes around 25 minutes. There is no public transport connection; a car or hire car is necessary unless you join an organised day tour from Hobart, which several operators offer. Richmond is often combined with Port Arthur or the east coast as a stop on a longer drive — it sits on the route toward the Tasman Peninsula.

Guide

Things to Do

Richmond's appeal is its coherence. The village has a compact main street of Georgian sandstone buildings, the oldest stone bridge in Australia, and Australia's oldest Catholic church — all within a few minutes' walk. It is not a big day but it is a satisfying one, best combined with the Coal River Valley wineries on either side of town. The gaol is the most viscerally interesting stop; the bridge and church are quick but worth the pause.