Richmond Bridge is the oldest bridge in Australia still in use, having been constructed back in 1825. It is a beautiful old bridge and a location that I enjoyed photographing.

When planning my first week-long photography trip to Tasmania back in 2015, I saw several stunning photos of Richmond Bridge which made me add it to the checklist of Tasmanian landscape photography locations I wanted to visit.

I didn’t place it high on this list, but it was worth the stop when heading into Hobart one windy afternoon. In fact, I enjoyed photographing Richmond Bridge a lot more than I thought I would.

Did you know: It took the poor convicts nearly two years to complete the construction of this old sandstone bridge? I mentioned above that Richmond Bridge was built back in 1825. But if you look at any photo or visit the bridge itself, you will see the year 1823 on either side. Construction commenced in 1823 but concluded in 1825.

Video Review: In this video on my YouTube Channel, I review Richmond Bridge in Tasmania by showing you video footage that I took of the historic old bridge and the surrounding countryside. I also discuss the photos that I captured on the day and show you a map of where this location is situated within Tasmania.

Now, this video was recorded back in 2015 for a different photography website that I was running at that time. However, I still feel that this video has a lot of great content within it and is worth watching.

Plus, I also had hair back then, so…

How to photograph Richmond Bridge

Richmond Bridge appeals to landscape photographers due to its beautiful old sandstone architecture. Running underneath and adding to the photos is a small lake with plenty of room on either side to set up your camera and tripod and take pictures.

Either side of the bridge:

On one side of the bridge is a small wooden platform that sticks out into the lake and provides a more front-on view of the bridge. This is a great spot to take photos from and is where the feature photo of this location review, the one at the top of the article, was taken.

If you move to the other side of the bridge, you can still get quite close to the water’s edge to capture your photos should you choose.

That said, either side offers many leading lines to help you compose your photos. Not only do you have the bridge, but the lake and various paths all act to assist the composition of your photos in that way. Therefore, depending on the time of day you visit and the weather conditions you experience, it would be worth exploring both sides of the bridge to ensure you walk away with the best possible photos.

Astrophotography:

I have not tried astrophotography at this location, but I have seen some fantastic photos taken of Richmond Bridge at night. These photos looked incredible, with the old bridge in the foreground and the stars shining high above.

I am not sure if I will get the opportunity to try this, but I thought it worth mentioning, just in case you do. And if you do after reading this, please let me know.

Camera gear that you will need

This will depend on the style of photography you hope to capture at Richmond Bridge. However, unlike other locations, there isn’t any one piece of gear I can recommend as a must-have when shooting here.

So no matter what camera gear you have, simply go down, be creative and have fun.

How to get to Richmond Bridge

Richmond Bridge is located in the suburb of Richmond, in the Southern Region of Tasmania. From Hobart, it is a quick 25-minute drive out of the CBD to this beautiful location. If you are heading down from Launceston, you can expect a 2 to 2-hour and 30-minute drive, depending on the route you decide to take.

I stopped on my way to Hobart from Launceston for this trip to Richmond Bridge. I thought this was a great way of including this location if time permits. Of course, this might mean that you will photograph Richmond Bridge during the harsher light of the day. So you might want to keep that in mind when planning your visit.

Best time to photograph Richmond Bridge

Richmond Bridge is one of those rare places you can photograph at any time of the day and, potentially, at night!

The photos you see in this photography location review were captured during the mid-afternoon. This obviously isn’t the best time of the day to take landscape photos, but it was the time that worked best for our travel plans.

Now, while I don’t know this for sure, I would think that you would be able to get great photos of Richmond Bridge at either sunrise or sunset if you were spending the night in town. I say this because you should be able to jump from one side of the bridge to the other, depending on the sun’s location.

Plus, as mentioned above, this location could also be an excellent spot for some astrophotography.

A photo of Richmond Bridge taken near the lakes edge

This landscape photo of Richmond Bridge was taken down near the water’s edge on the opposing side of the wooden platform. Still, a nice side of the bridge to explore, you just need to get down in the weeds… Pardon the pun. (HDR Image | Afternoon | 2015)

My final verdict

Out of 10, I would rate the Richmond Bridge a 7 as I did enjoy photographing this Tasmanian location more than I thought. I found it to be a stunning place and one that lent itself well to landscape photography.

I do think that it will also suit nearly any other type of photography that you might be into. I could imagine some fantastic wedding photos being taken here, with the old bridge being used in several ways to significant effect.

At the very least, it is certainly a place to stop at if travelling to Hobart. The town of Richmond is just as stunning and well worth looking around.

I hope that this photography location review of Richmond Bridge has been helpful.

Now grab your camera and go and take some landscape photos.

Enjoy!