Richmond Heritage Walk

Cemetary, st. john’s catholic church, richmond.

Introduction

The township of Richmond is one of Tasmania’s oldest settlements. Richmond was a convict station and military post.  It is home to Australia’s oldest bridge built in 1823 by convicts. The Richmond Gaol and Historic Site is worth a visit, as is the well-manicured Village Green.

richmond bridge

Just thirty minutes’ drive from the centre of Hobart, Richmond is an excellent day trip for anyone visiting the south of the state. In this post we describe the Richmond Heritage Walk as recommended by Clarence Council which we did recently.

The Walk

Map Key: 1. Richmond Bridge; 2. Richmond Court House; 3. Congregational Church; 4. Oak Lodge; 5. Old School House; 6. St. Lukes Anglican Church; 7. Richmond Gaol. Map from Clarence Council publication: Popular Trails in Clarence, page 26.

The council’s walk notes start at the Richmond Bridge. It states that the walk has a total length of 2.2 kms and that dogs are allowed on a lead (so we took ours). We decided to follow the walk route as per the notes with one exception: just up the hill from the bridge is St John’s Catholic Church, so we started there. This added a couple of hundred extra metres to the overall walk length.

St John’s Catholic Church

The impressive sandstone structure is Australia’s oldest existing Catholic church that is still the original building. It was completed in 1837 and is still in use today.

Richmond Bridge 

Richmond Bridge is Australia’s oldest stone bridge built by convicts in 1823.

Iconic photos of Richmond often feature the bridge and its surrounding parklands and paths.

Richmond Court House 

CALLY AND FRIDA IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE

The courthouse was built in 1825. It was used as Council Chambers from 1861 until 1993 when Richmond municipality amalgamated with Clarence City Council.

Congregational Church 

The church was constructed in 1873 after the original church on a different site was damaged in a storm.

Oak Lodge

This building was once the home of Richmond’s noted American-born doctor, William Clark. Now owned by the National Trust, it houses the Coal River Valley Historical Society.

Old School House 

The old school was built by convicts in 1834, it is the oldest continuously used public education facility in Australia and is now used as the Richmond Primary School library.

St Luke’s Anglican Church 

This imposing church was designed by John Lee Archer and built by convict labour in 1834. Convict James Thompson, who was responsible for the original timberwork inside the building, was granted his freedom as a reward for his work.

Richmond Gaol 

The gaol was built in 1825. One of its infamous inmates was convict Ikey Solomon, said to be the model for Dickens’ Fagin. The gaol is open daily for inspection. Admission fees apply.

The Village Green

Having finished your historic walk at the gaol, you are in good position to relax on the pretty village green and enjoy some food and drink from the many vendors that are located in close proximity.

Conclusion

The walk provides a good historic overview of Richmond. But there are many more sites to visit, including the striking hotel in the centre of town, along with cafes, and many specialty shops, often housed in well maintained Georgian buildings.

As an added bonus on your way back to Hobart travel via the Southern Tasmanian Wine Route. This runs through the Coal River Valley between Richmond and Cambridge (a suburb of Hobart near the airport). There are many wineries in the valley. Some operate on-site restaurants and even accommodation.

All in all Richmond is a highly recommended day excursion.

Ken and Cally

Acknowledgment

We acknowledge the use of the Clarence Council Richmond Heritage Walk notes and map. Click here to access the council’s website and walk notes. Another useful website for information about Richmond is the Richmond Village website. Click here:  richmondvillage.com.au