Richmond Gaol

For the $10 entry fee there is a self guided tour to take. It starts with a 10min movie about construction milestones of the gaol then the chance to wander. What amazed me was this gaol has not been reconstructed, it is preserved. Also it is older than Port Arthur. Imagining the number of people housed in the space is extraordinary. I really enjoyed the visit. Also it is in a town worth taking a wander through for all of the architectural, artistic and dining options available. 25mins out of hobart and a whole other world of history.

Interesting cruel history suffered by male and female convicts. When Aboriginals started a defensive war they were captured by roving parties and imprisoned at Richmond Gaol.

Simple yet striking display of the oldest gaol (jail) in Australia. Displays depict the lives of convicts, gaolers, and administrators and visitors, in the actual buildings where events all took place. Well worth a visit for 30 to 60 minutes, very reasonably priced.Two things caught my eye in particular: the solitary cells with no windows at all, where convicts were in prison for up to 21 days without exercise or fresh air; and the lists of female prisoners who gave birth, and babies of female prisoners who died in the prison system, page after page after page of names. So sad.Highly recommended.

Such a wonderful experience! So cool to be walking through spaces with so much history. You can see how it changed from its inception right through to modern day (that blue 1980s carpet on the stairs is the real crime)

This gaol is a highlight of any visit to Tasmania. A fascinating historical site with very good information given on notices outside and inside rooms and best of all you are able to wander about at your leisure looking at everything.There is so much to see, original artifacts in rooms and cells as they were when convicts were held there.A very reasonable entry fee and brochure which had a map and information.This was the best historical site I have seen in Tasmania and I can't praise it highly enough.I highly recommend a visit here, for me this was far superior to the Hobart penitentiary which was disappointingly dreary.

Richmond is a beautiful historical town and there is plenty to do. Richmond Gaol is a ‘must do’ location. Have returned here several times and it never gets boring. Come and see how convicts lived, worked and treated. There’s a small gift shop. Highly recommended.

Very authentic place right in the heart of Richmond. The self guided tour is ok but could really do with a guide so you can really get a feel for what happened in this place. So great to see alot of things are just how they were when it was actually run as a jail.

Such a small gaol yet it held a lot of prisoners at a time squashed into tiny sleeping quarters. The prisoners uniforms look insufficiently warm for the climate here and through the speaker system, you can hear re-enactments of some of the prisoners' daily activities including the announcement and sound effects of a flogging. The cells were quite dark inside and any windows were fairly small and high set so as to only afford the prisoners a view of the sky and nothing else. There is a small gift shop on site and the opportunity for the children to play I Spy by locating items on a list. The solitary confinement cells have solid wood doors and no windows and are smaller than the individual stalls of some modern day public toilets.

Richmond also have Australia’s oldest existing colonial gaol which was needed to house those convicts that committed offences whilst working. The goal is very well preserved and conserved and super interesting to look around and learn. It has the gaol, including solitary confinement areas, the gaolers house, latrine and exercise yard.