Visit Richmond
The old town heart of Tasmania's Coal River ValleyWhy visit Richmond Tasmania?
30 minutes North East of Hobart, smack bang in the centre of the Coal River Valley, the town of Richmond is a pretty day trip or weekend getaway destination.
There’s a tonne of things to see, do, taste and experience.
Most famous for it’s beautiful old bridge, Richmond is one of Tassie’s best preserved historic towns. Our favourite thing to do on a Richmond day trip is wander through the old Georgian buildings along Bridge St. Buildings that date back to the 1830’s, with their knarly old solid timber floors and foot-thick sandstone walls, have now become cute little shops and cafes. Showcasing their wares for the eager Hobart day tripper.
Or you could stay a while and explore more.
Our most recent trip to Richmond was a 3-night stay in a gorgeous little cottage Airbnb on the outskirts of town. We spent one day in Richmond, and the rest touring around the Coal River Valley. It was a brilliant few days of wine, cheese, oysters, whiskey and good ol’ country hospitality.
And I can’t think of a better reason to visit Richmond.
Tara’s Top 5 Things to do in Richmond Tasmania
1. Breakfast at Ashmore Cafe
Ashmore Cafe is delish every time we go. And we rate the coffee too. Breakfast starts at 8:30am and it’s small inside so best to book.
2. Feed the ducks at Richmond Bridge
Don’t forget to snap some pics of Australia’s oldest bridge still in operation and feed the friendly ducks as you do.
3. Tour Richmond Gaol
The old Richmond Gaol claims to be Australia’s oldest and best preserved colonial gaol. It’s worth a visit for that alone, but you’ll also love the sound effects inside. Eerie.
4. Retail therapy bougie style
Richmond has some of the cutest shops in all of Tassie. You’ll find antiques, woodwork, local lavender products, and vintage treasures among other cute as a button retailers.
5. Stroll through the back streets
With more cute Georgian cottages and house proud Tasmanians than you could poke a stick at, the back streets of Richmond are worth a wander
Things to do in the Coal River Valley
Wineries, cheesemakers, distillers, restauranteurs – some of Tassie’s best are dotted through the Coal River Valley.
Wineries
DISTILLERIES & breweries
Tasting trail stops
Historic sites
Richmond Travel Gallery
Your day trip to Richmond Tasmania….
Wattlebanks Cafe and Providore. Drop in for lunch or to pick up a gift from their impressive display of Tasmanian products.

Best places to visit around Richmond
‘If you like cheese or chocolate you’ll enjoy Coal River Farm, where you can pick up some of scrumptious Tasmanian produce for the road, or dine in for lunch even. The Wicked Cheese Company is also worth a visit for cheese lovers.
Just a 20 minute drive from Richmond is Barilla Bay Oyster Farm. Do yourself a favour and book the 1 hour tour. You won’t believe how much there is to know about oysters and abalone.
Call in to Pooley Wines’ Cellar Door at Butcher’s Hill near Richmond for a $10 wine tasting and indulge in a charcuterie board. Pick up a bottle of their delish Pinot Grigio for later.
Everything you need to know before visiting Richmond Tassie
Is Richmond Tasmania worth visiting?
It definitely is.
You could see the town and all of it’s sites in a day trip. Or make a weekend of it and visit some of the noteworthy spots in the surrounding Coal River Valley.Â
In town we recommend checking out the old bridge and the gaol. Don’t forget to wander through the back streets and admire the cute little colonial cottages that are still lived in to this day.Â
Because it is a day trip destination from Hobart, Richmond can be extremely busy on weekends. There aren’t many cafes or restaurants, for the number of visitors passing through. So if you do head out on a weekend, wherever you plan to eat its a good idea to book beforehand.
What restaurants are in Richmond Tasmania?
Eating out is one area Richmond is lacking in.
Restaurants are pretty thin on the ground as are dinner options.
You will fare better for breakfast and lunch. The 4 cafes in Richmond town – Ashmore Cafe, Wattlebanks Cafe and Providore, Czegs and The Bridge Cafe – can be busy. Especially on the weekends, when you should always book.
Otherwise, the Richmond Bakery has reasonable fare.
The only place we could find to eat dinner in Richmond township after 5pm was the Richmond Arms Hotel. While it’s a beautiful building, the pub decor is tired and the food was too.
It turns out, the dearth of restaurants in Richmond townships is not easily solved by heading out into the surrounding Coal River Valley either.
Prospect Country House is the closest fine dining offering to Richmond and by all accounts does excellent food.
20 minutes further afield is the restaurant at Barilla Bay Oysters. They serve dinner Thurs to Saturday only, and only from 5pm to 7:30pm.
What shops are there in Richmond?
Richmond is mostly shopping along Bridge Street, and visiting historic sites. So you shouldn’t be disappointed about the ratio of shops in town.Â
Our favourites are The Woodcraft Shop, Walker and Walker Antique furniture store and Drink Tasmania Tasting House, which has more local Tasmanian alcohol than anywhere we’ve ever seen.Â
You’ll also find a chocolate shop, a sweets shop, a gingerbread shop, quite a few antique stores, some clothing boutiques, The Tasmanian Lavender Company, a providore, a puzzle shop, and a couple of gift shops. Something for everyone really.
When is the best time to visit Richmond?
During the week.
Unlike in other parts of Tasmania, the shops and cafes are open 7 days a week in Richmond. So if you can, visit on a weekday to avoid the throng of day tripper crowds. You may also get cheaper accommodation staying during the week.
We visited on a weekend in summer 2022 and it was bedlam; we couldn’t get a carpark anywhere near Bridge street (the shopping street) and just squeezed in to a spare table at Ashmore for lunch.
You’ll get a more chill experience during the week and can take your merry time wandering through town.
Cafes in Richmond open from 8:30am for breakfast and shops tend to open around 9:30am – 10am. Everything but the pub is closed by 5!Â