- Duration
- ~75 km loop by car from Hobart, 8–9 hours (≈ 7 h 22 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- With kids
- Transport
- drive, walk
- Start
- Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
- Finish
- Sweets & Treats: The Richmond Lolly Shop
- Pace
- relaxed pace
- Best time
- Friday to Sunday: Pooley Wines only fires the pizza oven on those days. Leave Hobart at 8:30am to be at Bonorong for the 9am opening
- Budget per adult
- Entry ~A$69 per adult: Bonorong A$37 (kids 6–17 A$22, family 2+2 A$105), Old Hobart Town A$20 (kids 5–17 A$8, family A$50), Richmond Gaol A$12 (kids A$6, family A$30). Plus lunch and treats. Prices checked October 2026Prices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Car only: from Hobart take the Brooker Highway (A1) to Brighton, about 30 minutes to Bonorong (593 Briggs Road, free on-site car park). Then via Tea Tree Road to Richmond; park on Bridge Street or by the Village Green. Back to Hobart is 26 km, about 30 minutes
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
- For kids
1. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary~2 h at the stop
A wildlife sanctuary and rescue centre: Tasmanian devils, wombats, koalas and a mob of Forester kangaroos. You get a free bag of kangaroo food at the gate and they eat straight from your palm.
Worth knowing: Bonorong's rescue service runs 24/7 and coordinates more than 20,000 wildlife rescues a year across Tasmania.
Tip: Open daily 9am–5pm, no booking needed for general entry. Free tours run at 10am, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm: catch the first one. Under-6s free. Feed only the food they give you.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 28 min · 25 km
- Lunch
2. Pooley Wines~1 h 15 min at the stop
A family winery in the coach house of Belmont, a convict-built 1830s homestead. On weekends the wood-fired oven goes on: pizza for everyone, wine for the grown-ups.
Tip: Pizza Friday–Sunday only, 12–3pm, bookings essential. Cheese and charcuterie boards daily. The tasting room opens daily, also by booking.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 3 min · 1.2 km
- For kids
3. Old Hobart Town~50 min at the stop
An open-air model of 1820s Hobart: hundreds of handmade buildings, boats and tiny figures, with hidden scenes of colonial life for kids to spot.
Tip: Daily 9am–5pm, even on Christmas Day. Adults A$20, kids 5–17 A$8, under-5s free, family (2+3) A$50.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 8 min · 0.6 km
4. Richmond Gaol~45 min at the stop
An 1825 colonial gaol: solitary cells you can stand inside in the dark, the women's quarters and the gaoler's house. Fun for kids, a little eerie for adults.
Worth knowing: In 1832 the gaol held Ikey Solomon, the thief often cited as the model for Fagin in Dickens' Oliver Twist.
Tip: Daily 9am–5pm except Christmas Day. Adults A$12, kids A$6, family (2 adults + kids 5–16) A$30. Mostly not accessible for prams or wheelchairs.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 4 min · 0.3 km
5. Richmond Bridge~20 min at the stop
A convict-built sandstone arch bridge over the Coal River from about 1823. The best view is from the grassy bank downstream.
Worth knowing: It is Australia's oldest bridge still in use. The sandstone was hauled by hand cart from Butchers Hill.
Tip: Take the path down to the water on either side of the bridge. Skip feeding bread to the ducks: it's bad for them.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 4 min · 0.3 km
- For kids
6. Richmond Village Green playground~25 min at the stop
A free playground on the village green in the centre of Richmond, a couple of minutes from the bridge and the gaol. Clarence Council recently added a new slide tower.
Worth knowing: Convicts built the bridge from 1823 to 1825, hauling sandstone in hand carts. In 1832 the harsh flogger George Grover fell asleep drunk on it and was pushed off; nobody was ever convicted.
Tip: Picnic tables and lawn alongside: a good break while the adults grab coffee from the bakery next door.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 3 min · 0.2 km
- Snack
7. The Richmond Bakery~30 min at the stop
A village bakery in the courtyard behind Bridge Street, famous for its curried scallop pie, a Tasmanian classic. Also steak pies, vanilla slice and coffee.
Worth knowing: Convicts built the bridge from 1823 to 1825, hauling sandstone in hand carts. In 1832 the harsh flogger George Grover fell asleep drunk on it and was pushed off; nobody was ever convicted.
Tip: Mon–Fri 6am–5pm, weekends and public holidays 7am–5pm, closed only on Christmas Day. Enter from the courtyard at 6/50 Bridge Street.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 2 min · 0.1 km
- Shops
8. Sweets & Treats: The Richmond Lolly Shop~25 min at the stop
A lolly shop since 1985: sweets by weight from glass jars, waffles, milkshakes and around 30 flavours of Tasmanian Valhalla ice cream.
Worth knowing: Convicts built the bridge from 1823 to 1825, hauling sandstone in hand carts. In 1832 the harsh flogger George Grover fell asleep drunk on it and was pushed off; nobody was ever convicted.
Tip: Daily 10am–5pm including public holidays, closed Christmas Day. Make it the last stop: Hobart is 30 minutes away.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.