Richmond

Richmond was founded in 1824 as a convict garrison town on the Coal River, on Mumirimina country. It was once the third-largest town in Tasmania and a key stopping point on the road between Hobart and the east coast. When the railway was built in the 1870s and bypassed the town, Richmond's economy collapsed and the town was effectively frozen in time. The result is one of the most complete and best preserved Georgian streetscapes anywhere in Australia.

The Richmond Bridge, built between 1823 and 1825 by convict labour, is the oldest surviving stone bridge in Australia and is still in use as a working road bridge. It is a National Heritage listed item and one of the most photographed structures in Tasmania, particularly at sunrise when the early light reflects off the Coal River. A short walk along the riverbank gives the classic postcard view.

The Richmond Gaol, which sits two minutes walk from the bridge, was built in 1825 and predates Port Arthur by five years. It is the best preserved convict-era gaol in the country still in its original layout. The gaol holds the floggers' room, the women's wing, the underground solitary cells and the kitchen all intact, and is open daily for self-guided visits with audio narration.

The surrounding Coal River Valley has become one of Tasmania's premier cool-climate wine regions over the past 30 years, particularly for pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wine. Several cellar doors are within 10 minutes drive of Richmond village, including Frogmore Creek, Pooley Wines, Domaine A and Stefano Lubiana. The Old Hobart Town Model Village in the centre of the village is a 1:16 scale model of Hobart in 1820 that has been a tourist attraction since the 1980s and is unexpectedly worth the visit.

Richmond is a year-round destination but the weather is at its best from October to April. The annual Richmond Village Fair in March is the biggest day of the year, with street performers, vintage car displays and the Coal River Valley wine producers serving from stalls along the main street.