Top Things to Do in Richmond, Tasmania: The Perfect Day Trip from Hobart
Richmond feels like stepping into a postcard: sandstone cottages, rolling vineyards and some of the oldest convict-built landmarks in Australia. Just 25 minutes from Hobart, it's one of Tasmania's best-preserved Georgian villages, small enough to explore in a day and packed with history, food and wine. Here are the top things to do, laid out as a perfect day, whether you're travelling as a couple, with friends or with the kids.
Book the Tasmania Chocolate Pour →
9:30am — Leave Hobart
Head north-east over the Tasman Bridge and follow the signs through the Coal River Valley. The drive takes about 25 minutes and winds past vineyards and rolling farmland. In autumn the valley turns gold, and in summer the paddocks glow in the morning light.
10:00am — Walk across Australia's oldest bridge
Start where everyone starts: the Richmond Bridge on Bridge Street. Built by convicts between 1823 and 1825, it's the oldest stone bridge in Australia still in use. Walk across it, then wander down to the riverbank. The kids can feed the ducks while you take the classic photo of the sandstone arches reflected in the Coal River.
From the far side, it's a short walk up the hill to St John's Church (1836), the oldest Catholic church still in use in Australia.
11:00am — Step inside Richmond Gaol
Richmond Gaol, at 37 Bathurst Street, opened in 1825, five years before Port Arthur. It's compact, atmospheric and easy to see in under an hour. Walk through the solitary cells and read the stories of the convicts held there. Older kids love it; younger ones may want to hold a hand in the dark cells.
12:00pm — Lunch in the village
Our Pick is Ashmores on Bridge Street and Czegs Cafe but Bridge Street is lined with cafés, bakeries and old stone shopfronts. Don't miss the Richmond Bakery for one of their delicious scallop pie. if you have a little more time drop in to the Richmond Arms, for a steak or one of their large counter meals. After lunch, browse the galleries and antique shops, which have treasures tucked into almost every street. If you're here on a Sunday, the Richmond Village Market is worth a wander for fresh produce, art and local treats.
11am or 4pm — The highlight: the Tasmania Chocolate Pour
A few minutes' drive out of the village, at 1314 Richmond Road, you'll find Federation Chocolate. We've been making chocolate in Tasmania since 1988, and today we make our own bean-to-bar chocolate. We stone-grind cacao from 12 origins for 70 hours, then age it for at least three months before it becomes a bar.
The Tasmania Chocolate Pour is where you get your hands on it. In about an hour, one of our chocolate makers guides you as you pour and decorate your own 160g Tasmanian chocolate bar in milk, dark or white chocolate. While it sets, you sip a speciality hot chocolate made fresh from our chocolate vats, served pure or spiced with chilli or cinnamon. Then you take your bar home.
Why it works for everyone:
- Small groups. A maximum of 10 people means plenty of time and attention for every guest.
- From 8 years and Up Kids love the pouring; adults love the tasting and the story. For families with children under 8 contact us about our private tour.
- Year-round. It's indoors, so it's just as good on a rainy winter day as on a summer afternoon.
- You take it home. The best souvenir from Tasmania is one you made yourself.
Sessions are capped at 10, so book ahead, especially in school holidays.
Book the Tasmania Chocolate Pour →
2:30pm — A glass of local wine
You don't need to drive anywhere for this. Our cellar door is shared with Every Man & His Dog Vineyard, a small family vineyard making around 2,500 bottles a year. Settle in with a tasting or a glass, add a pizza or cheese platter if you're peckish, and say hello to Jax, our resident vineyard dog. Ask us which wine goes best with which chocolate. We have opinions, and if you want the full version, book the Wine and Chocolate Pairing.
3:30pm — Optional extras
If you still have energy, a few great stops are close by:
- Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary: about 20 minutes away. Meet Tasmanian devils, wombats and kangaroos.
- Coal River Valley cellar doors: several more wineries are within a short drive.
- Old Hobart Town model village: back in Richmond, a miniature recreation of Hobart in the 1820s.
Quick tips for your Richmond day trip
- Getting there: Richmond is about 25 km from Hobart. A car gives you the most freedom; some day tours also stop here.
- Best time to visit: any time. Autumn is beautiful in the valley, and winter is cosy and quieter.
- With kids: do the gaol before lunch while energy is high, and save the chocolate for the afternoon as the reward.
- Opening hours: the cellar door is open noon–5pm daily. [Add Chocolate Pour session times.]
Make chocolate part of your Tasmanian story
Richmond gives you history in the morning and indulgence in the afternoon. Bridges and gaols are wonderful, but the part your family will talk about on the drive home is the chocolate they made with their own hands.
