Tasmania · Attraction
Richmond Gaol Historic Site
Australia's oldest intact gaol
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Built between 1825 and 1840, Richmond Gaol is Australia's oldest intact colonial gaol and offers a vivid self-guided journey through the harsh realities of convict life. Visitors can enter solitary confinement cells, walk the exercise yards, and hear stories of the prisoners held here, including Isaac Solomon, reputedly the inspiration for Fagin in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. The gaol operated as a lock-up until 1928 and is now two centuries old.
The complex preserves a remarkable range of original structures, cell blocks, a flogging triangle, the superintendent's quarters, and a chapel, all within a walled compound that has barely changed since the 1840s. Sound effects and interpretive displays throughout the self-guided tour bring the convict era to life without sanitising its brutality. The site is managed under the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania and is maintained to a high standard.
A souvenir and gift shop on-site stocks locally made Tasmanian goods. Sturdy footwear is recommended as the heritage site includes steps, uneven floors, loose gravel, and narrow doorways. The gaol is a short stroll from Richmond Bridge and the main village, making it easy to combine with a full day of sightseeing. An off-season discount of 10 per cent applies from May to August.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Richmond Gaol Historic Site.
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