The historic town of Richmond is 25 kilometres north east of Hobart and was settled in the 1820s. It played an important role as a convict station and military outpost in the early days of the colony. For much of its history it was the main gateway to the east coast and the Tasman Peninsula.

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

Richmond's most famous landmark is the Richmond Bridge, built in 1823, is Australia's oldest bridge still in use.

The foundation stone for the Richmond Bridge was laid on 11 December 1823 and construction continued using convict labour until completion in 1825.

The bridge was originally named Bigge's Bridge after Royal Commissioner, John Thomas Bigge, who recognised the need for the bridge in 1820.
Richmond Bridge was included in the National Heritage List on 25 November 2005.

St John's Catholic church was built in 1836, and is considered the oldest Roman Catholic church in Australia.

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. 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 so is the oldest penal institution in Australia.

Apart from the Richmond Bridge and Gaol, one of the most popular attraction is Old Hobart Town, a remarkable scale model of Hobart in the 1820's which is highly detailed and historically accurate.

Many of the old buildings have been sensitively converted into shops and there are galleries and boutiques displaying some of the fine crafts for which Tasmania is renowned.