With more than 50 19th-century buildings and just 27km from Hobart, Richmond is arguably Tasmania's premier historic town.

St Johns Church, beside the Coal River and across the bridge from the town, is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Australia.

The church was designed by the ex-convict architect, Frederick Thomas, and the nave was completed in 1836 and opened on 31 December 1837.

Straddling the Coal River and on the old route between Hobart and Port Arthur, Richmond was once a strategic military post and convict station.

Built by convicts in 1823, and hence the oldest road bridge in Australia, Richmond Bridge formed a vital link for the young colony and encouraged construction of the many old buildings seen today.

The town is surrounded by Tasmania's fastest-growing wine region - known as the Coal River Valley - and there are wineries in all directions.

The Tasmanian Native-hen (Gallinula mortierii) is a flightless rail, one of twelve species of birds endemic to the Australian island of Tasmania

Although flightless, this bird is capable of running quickly and has been recorded running at speeds up to 30 miles per hour (approx. 48 km/h), It uses its wings when running fast to help it to balance (the common name is Turbo chook)

With the completion of the Sorell Causeway in 1872, traffic travelling to the Tasman Peninsula and the east coast bypassed Richmond.

The town remained the focus of a farming community but ceased to grow - in fact, for more than a century it changed very little.

Peruvian Pepper (Schinus molle, also known as American pepper, Peruvian peppertree, false pepper, is a quick growing evergreen tree that grows to 15 meters

The bright pink fruits of Schinus molle are often sold as "pink peppercorns" although Schinus molle is unrelated to true pepper (Piper nigrum).

It has, however, become widely naturalized around the world where it has been planted as an ornamental and for spice production

This tree is invasive throughout much of Australia in a range of habitats from grasslands to dry open forest and coastal areas, as well as railway sidings and abandoned farms.

The congregational church

The 1888 Richmond Arms Hotel (Bridge St).

Tasmania

Pictures: ♦ Sanda Foişoreanu♦ Doina Grigoraş Text: Internet

Arrangement: Sanda Foişoreanu

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