Richmond Heritage Walk: The Macquarie Legacy

Welcome to Richmond, one of New South Wales' earliest planned towns and a lasting legacy of Governor Lachlan Macquarie's vision for the colony.

Back in 1810, Macquarie picked this very spot as one of five "Macquarie Towns." The idea was to create safe, permanent communities for farmers living on the flood-prone lands along the Hawkesbury–Nepean River. He named it Richmond, after its English namesake, because he thought it was just as beautiful. He said it was "beautiful in situation and corresponding with that of its district".

Back in 1811, the town's grid was lovingly crafted by surveyor James Meehan, who marked its main streets, the church precinct, and a central market square that's still there today as Richmond Park. His design reflected order, prosperity, and hope — and these qualities still shape the town's character more than two centuries later.

As you explore Richmond on this self-guided walking tour, you'll discover how much of Macquarie's original plan endures – isn't that amazing?! Richmond is a place like no other. Its elegant sandstone buildings and leafy streets are like a picture postcard, and you can almost hear the echoes of the old Hobartville Stud that once grazed the town's outskirts. It's a living link to early colonial history, and a town where the past still walks beside you.

So, lace up your walking shoes, take your time, and let's begin our journey through one of New South Wales' most beautifully preserved Macquarie towns: Richmond.