I know, it’s hackneyed and over-photographed and that I haven’t captured it at midnight or under an aurora, but there’s no denying, even in winter on an ordinary day, the Richmond Bridge is irresistibly picturesque. Especially when the light is working. I guess that’s why the town has been a tourist hotspot since before there was tourism.

When it was new, around 1824, even that old rascal Reverend Robert Knopwood thought it was pretty damn fine, at least according to the interpretive panel erected next to it by the council.

I also noticed that it has a National Engineering Heritage marker, recognising the significance of this bit of convict bridge-building.

Richmond is a short drive, around 20 minutes, from Hobart via the eastern shore. It boasts a large number of impressive sandstone and other fine colonial period buildings, many now given over to antique shops, art galleries and tea rooms. It also houses the oldest intact convict gaol in Australia, but probably the most popular activity is strolling along the river and feeding the ducks. I noticed one enterprising shop in the main street is selling duck food.

Resources

• Visiting Richmond – notes from DiscoverTasmania.com.au
• The Richmond Bridge – Wikipedia
• Richmond Bridge – Entry on the National Heritage List
• History of Richmond – from the local tourism association

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