Richmond Arms

Richmond
Major tourist attraction full of gift shops, craft shops and eateries
There must have been a time when Richmond was one of the most charming places in Australia. Set in gently undulating country on the banks of the Coal River it has no fewer than 45 buildings listed on the National Estate and, in many ways, it is a town which has been held in time. Unfortunately its proximity to Hobart (which is only 27 km away) has ensured that it has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tasmania. This has meant that old Georgian stone houses, commercial buildings and hotels have been converted into gift shops, Devonshire tea places, restaurants, craft shops, and museums.

Perhaps the best symbol of the change is the fact that the local gaol sells plastic balls and chains. Given that the original convicts were forced to wear balls and chains which weighed up to 20 kg and which were sometimes welded onto their ankles for years, it is hard to see this commercialisation as anything other than a disregard for the suffering of the people who, through their unwilling labours, made this tourist town possible.

Add to this the fact that most of the buildings in the town have been painted and scrubbed and you are left with the overpowering feeling that what you see at Richmond is not historic buildings but tea rooms and gift shops in the shells of old buildings. There is little doubt that people wanting to experience what these beautiful old villages were like in the early nineteenth century would be much better served by a visit to Ross or Oatlands.

The Richmond area was explored within weeks of the establishment of the first European settlement at Risdon Cove in 1803. Lieutenant John Bowen and a small party crossed the hills from the Derwent Valley and entered the valley where the Coal River and Richmond are now located. Members of Bowen's party found small deposits of coal in the river and it was appropriately named.

Soon afterwards land was granted and settlers moved into the district. The success of wheat crops in the area was almost immediate and as early as 1815 a flour mill had been built to process the harvest. Until the 1830s the Coal River valley was known as the granary of Van Diemen's Land

It wasn't until 1824 that the settlement of Richmond was named by Lieutenant Governor William Sorell and a 36 ha site was set aside for the development of the town. By this time the bridge across the Coal River (one of the most photographed bridges in Australia) was already under construction.

For some years Richmond had been used as a crossing point for people travelling by land to the Tasman and Fleurieu Peninsulas. The need for a bridge across the Coal River was obvious as early as 1820 when the Royal Commissioner John Thomas Bigge recommended it. When the Coal river was in flood access to the East coast was greatly restricted. The bridge was completed in 1825. Major repairs were needed in 1828 and 1884.

Richmond Bridge

Reputed to be the oldest bridge in Australia, Richmond Bridge has more than its fair share of mythology. It is suggested that one convict, tired of his lot, committed suicide by hurling himself from the bridge. Another story tells of the murder of a particularly cruel overseer named Simeon Groover. The convicts, tired of his maltreatment, turned on their tormentor, beat him, and threw him to his death.

The construction of the bridge saw the town expand rapidly. By the 1830s Richmond was Van Diemen Land's third largest town and had grown into an important military outpost and convict station.

In spite of the reservations about its over-commercialisation, there is little doubt that Richmond is a remarkably well preserved Georgian township which offers a rare insight into the types of buildings which some of Australia's earliest settlers lived in, were incarcerated in, prayed in and drank in. The reason that so many of the buildings remain in good condition is largely a result of the construction of the Sorell Causeway. In 1872, when the causeway was completed, Richmond's role as a major staging post on the way from Hobart to Port Arthur disappeared. It was by-passed and mercifully the historic buildings remained largely intact.

Things to see:  

The main street of Richmond

Richmond Gaol
The Richmond Gaol in Bathurst Street was built in 1825 probably to a design by the Colonial Architect David Lambe. The original building, now the northern side of the complex, was designed to house convict work gangs and locals who had committed minor crimes. In 1832 John Lee Archer added to the building converting it into a 'square' by adding the gaoler's house and the east and west wings. The east wing contained the cookhouse and the women's quarters while the west wing had men's solitary cells and the turnkey's office. The most impressive part of this building was the gaoler's house which was two storeys with elaborate 16 pane windows. The gaol is now open to the public from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Its importance is that it predates the penal colony at Port Arthur by five years and thus is the oldest penal institution in Australia.

Court House
Around the corner in Bridge Street is the Court House which is part of a complex of public buildings including the watch house and the Council Chambers. It is thought that the buildings were designed by the Colonial Architect, David Lambe. Certainly they were built in 1825-26 and gave notice that the town was to become an important centre.

Historic Buildings
In spite of accusations of over-commercialisation there is no doubt that Bridge Street is a superbly integrated street of interesting historic buildings. The free brochure, Let's Talk About Richmond, details the history of most of the inns, shops and houses on the street and provides a useful map. The most interesting buildings include Ivy Cottage at number 12, the brick cottage at number 15, Bellevue House at number 16, Oak Lodge at number 18, Lilac Cottage at number 20, the Congregational Church at number 25, the Village Store (1836) at number 29, the Old Store and Granary at number 36 and the cottage and former shop at number 41, the Richmond Arms at number 42, the shop and house at number 46, the cottages at number 47 and 49 and the bridge itself. All are listed by the National Estate.

Richmond's Churches
The town's churches are equally interesting. St Johns Church, beside the Coal River and across the bridge from the town, is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Australia. The church was designed by the ex-convict architect, Frederick Thomas, and the nave was completed in 1836 and opened on 31 December 1837. The church was greatly enlarged in 1859 and the spire was added early in the twentieth century. The infant son of the Irish rebel leader, Thomas Francis O'Meagher, is buried near the church's doorway. O'Meagher was one of those larger than life characters who was transported to Australia but managed to escape to America where he became the Governor of Montana.

St Luke's Church of England at 26 Torrens Street is listed in the National Estate Register which records that 'This Georgian stone church was designed by Colonial Architect John Lee Archer, and erected in 1834-36. The foundation stone was laid by Governor Arthur, and the clock, made in England in 1828 and previously installed in the tower of St David's, Hobart, was installed in St Luke's in 1922.'

Historic Accommodation
One of the great attractions of Richmond is the large and interesting range of historical accommodation offered in and near the town. Of particular note is Prospect House (1830s) which was built by local convict labour for James Bascombe, a local businessman who owned a pub, flour mill and grocery shop. It has a reputation for excellent food and the accommodation is located in modern units at the rear of the building.

The accommodation at Laurel Cottage (1830s) is for one family only. The cottage has been excellently restored and furnished with antiques and heirlooms which recapture the period.

Laurel Cottage is one of a large number of dwellings in the town which are named after flora. The others include Rose Cottage (1840) at 12 Bathurst Street with its fancy brickwork over the lintels, Ivy Cottage at 12 Bridge Street, Oak Lodge at 18 Bridge Street which is a handsome two storey Georgian building built for Henry Buscombe - brother of James who built Prospect House, Lilac Cottage next door at 20 Bridge Street and Maize Cottage at the end of Blair Street.

Another particularly interesting place to stay is the Old Dispensary in Edward Street. Now used as family accommodation, it was built in the 1830s for Dr John Coverdale who was appointed Assistant Surgeon servicing both the town and the nearby gaol. It was also used as the local mortuary for a time.

The Richmond Arms Hotel

One of the town's highlights is the gracious Richmond Arms Hotel at 42 Bridge Street which dates from 1888. It replaced the Lennox Hotel (1827) which had been burnt down two years earlier. The elegant cast iron lacework is a symbol of how the confidence and flair of the Victorian era. It contrasts sharply with the rather ascetic Georgian buildings which dominate in the town.

	Hotels
	Campania Tavern Reeve St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 4115
	The Richmond Arms Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2109
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Elmshurst Bed & Breakfast Cnr Estate & White Kangaroo Rds Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 4209 Rating: ***
	Hatchers Richmond Manor 45 Prosser Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2622 Rating: ****
	Mrs Curries's House 4 Franklin St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2766 Facsimile: (03) 6260 2110 Rating: ****
	Richmond Barracks Bed & Breakfast 16 Franklin St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2453
	Richmond Country Bed & Breakfast Prosser Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 4238 Rating: ****
	Prospect House Bed & Breakfast 1384 Richmond Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2207 Facsimile: (03) 6260 2551 Email: prosrich@southcom.com.au Rating: *****
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Brookbank Estate Grass Tree HIll Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2216 or 1800 620 487 Facsimile: (03) 6260 2699 Rating: ****
	Cottages & Cabins
	Ashmore Cottage 32 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2570
	Bridge Cottages 47A&B Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2570 Rating: ****
	Churchill Cottage Colebrook Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 4194 or 018 123 700 Rating: ****
	Daisy Bank Cottages "Daisy Bank" Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2390 or 0419 103 081 Facsimile: (03) 6260 2653 Rating: ****
	Hollyhock Cottage 3 Percy St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2738 or (03) 6260 1099 or (03) 6233 0366 Rating: ****
	Laurel Cottage 9 Wellington St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2462 Rating: ***
	Poplar Cottage 49 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 4286 or 019 192 222 Rating: ****
	Red Brier Cottage 15 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2349 or 018 129 308 Facsimile: (03) 6260 2782 Rating: ****
	Richmond Coachmans Rest 30 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: 041 230 1828 Rating: ***
	Richmond Colonial Accommodation P.O. Box 193 Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2570 or 0414 602 570 Facsimile: (03) 6260 2570 Rating: ****
	Richmond Cottages 12 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2561 Rating: ****
	Caravan Parks
	Richmond Cabin & Tourist Park Middle Tea Tree Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2192
	Camping & Other
	Campania House Estate Rd Campania Richmond TAS 7026 Telephone: (03) 6260 4281 Facsimile: (03) 6260 4493 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Ashmore House Tea Rooms 34 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2146
	Ma Foosies Tearooms 46 Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2412
	Prospect House 1384 Richmond Rd Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2207
	The Richmond Arms Bridge St Richmond TAS 7025 Telephone: (03) 6260 2109