The town was initially part of the route between Hobart and Port Arthur until the Sorell Causeway was constructed in 1872.

Richmond was initially established as a pioneering district within the Van Diemen's Land penal colony.

Richmond later developed as a police district for the surrounding region after Governor George Arthur appointed a number of paid magistrates to oversee penal discipline in 1827.

[2] Consequently, Richmond grew as a centre of local government with a centralised justice system, holding council and court hearings from the Coal River Valley to Campania and Colebrook.

[3] According to historian Peter Macfie, there was a high degree of prejudice among the senior public figures of Richmond toward the convicts, which resulted in a 'caste system' within the community – something that was maintained in the region through most of the nineteenth century.

[5] They frequently experienced shortages of food and clothing, which lead many of the men to steal from each other as well as from neighbouring houses.

[6] Many of the Georgian style buildings which are present in the township today were constructed by these convict gangs, including the Bridge, the Court House and the Gaol.

[8] The foundation stone for St Luke's was laid on 3 February 1834 by Governor Arthur and it is considered one of the finest churches designed by John Lee Archer.