The pit stop: Richmond
With history in abundance, Richmond has long been one of Tasmania’s top tourist towns. Stir in fine wine and good eating, and it’s hard to resist its charms.
Eat
Pooley Wines, at Richmond’s very edge, might be the current Halliday Wine Companion’s Australian winery of the year, but tucking into its wood-fired pizzas on the tables and bean bags that spill across the lawn behind the 1830s convict-built cellar door is just as enticing as its wine tastings.
Drink
Inside an 1820s heritage-listed building, Drink Tasmania Tasting House has an encyclopaedic range of Tasmanian wine, whisky, gin, beer, cider, vodka, absinthe and more. Stock up your cellar or settle into the leather armchairs by the large fireplace with a whisky or gin paddle. Remember to be a responsible drinker and nominate a designated driver.
See
Convict fingerprints are all over Richmond, most noticeably on Richmond Bridge, Australia’s oldest large stone arch bridge, which will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2025. Lighten up a visit with a stop at Pooseum for a quirky peek at all things scat – look for the statue of the defecating dog out front.
Credit: Alastair Bett
Credit: Tourism Tasmania
Shop
Richmond’s classic stop for kids aged three to 93 is Sweets and Treats, the comprehensive lolly shop that’s a nostalgic trip down a very sweet memory lane – think gobstoppers, sherbet bombs, mixed lolly bags and warheads. Elsewhere, antiques dominate the shopping offerings. Seek out Walker & Walker with its shuffled collection of antiques and homewares, and the high-end antiques of neighbouring Walter & Co.
Stay
Peering down onto the town’s rooftops from the edge of Brinktop Bushland Reserve, Aquila Glamping has accommodation in three converted shipping containers and one large and luxurious glamping tent. As you soak in the tent’s outdoor bath, take in the view of the cliffs from which the stone for Richmond Bridge was cut.