"As Tasmania’s most important historic town, Richmond is one of the state’s most popular destinations, the perfect base for exploring Tasmania’s South East. Historic, romantic, family friendly, a hub for food and wine lovers with its fresh food and fine wines, grown in fertile soils under the world’s cleanest air. Good examples of Tasmania’s stark convict heritage and beautiful historic buildings. The town is as elegant today as it was in the 1820’s, when it was an important military staging post and convict station linking Hobart with Port Arthur. Nestled in the Coal River Valley, this classified historic town is famous for its Georgian architecture. The stone buildings now house galleries, teashops, craft boutiques and museums, offering every convenience and luxury to the modern visitor."
Taken from Historic Richmond web page
Leaving the city of Hobart I crossed the Derwent and picked up the A3 Expressway headed towards the airport. I exited the A3 onto the Richmond Road, B31, at Cambridge and drove in to Richmond across the historic Richmond Bridge.
An amazing construction, built by convict labour in 1823 it is the said to be the oldest bridge in Australia still carrying normal road traffic. It would certainly be the most photographed.. I was taken by the ducks swimming in the Coal River, a mixture of wild ducks and domestic breeds (with the odd seagull) , much like we have at home in Yass NSW.
Of course, no historic town with an arched bridge, a flowing river and ducks would be without an equally marvelous church adjacent. I parked the vehicle and set out on foot and enjoyed the beautiful examples of Georgian and early colonial architecture that dominate the town of Richmond.
Richmond is on Tasmania's Convict Trail. The village was once a key military post and convict station, strategically located between Hobart and the infamous Port Arthur penal settlement. Richmond's convict buildings predate Port Arthur.
(Source: The Convict Trail )
However, the Convict Trail to Port Arthur was not on today's agenda. That was something that Rhonda and I were planning for Friday. So, firstly, a spot of morning tea in a delightful morning tea at Ma Foosies.
Then it was a bit of 'tourista' shopping at a local arts and crafts shop where I purchased a lovely Huon Pine jewellery box for Rhonda and a splendid walking stick with a brass handle for myself. Then it was up the B31 Colebrook Road until I found a link road to the right heading across to the A3 - which was now the Tasman Highway - and off up the road to Orford.
1 comment:
Love the stone buildings John, something that is far and few between up here in the tropics. I miss the architecture sometimes. Thanks for the photos!
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