Richmond Park Estate

03/04/2025

You can learn a lot from visits to a vineyard cellar door. Much the same can be said for visits to the vineyard itself. Coal River Valley farmer Will Eddington walks his site every day and admits it's still a journey of discovery.

Back in the 2010s, the second-generation owner of Richmond Park Estate did what his industry peers did. He grazed his sheep, cropped when he could, and was just another farmer. But new water and fresh thinking changed all that.

In 2021, Eddington added 9ha of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Syrah (Shiraz) to the 1000ha property. Two hundred years of farm tradition was changing.

Richmond Park dates back to 1823 when shrewd colonial entrepreneur David Lord swapped 90 acres of granted land to him for 1400 acres located next door. It kickstarted the creation of the iconic Tassie township that gives its name to Eddington's vineyard venture.

Lord went on to become 'the richest man in the island.'

But dry-land farming makes for a tough life in a low rainfall valley, often stricken with drought. Connection to Tasmanian Irrigation water – with prospects beyond compare – offered water security and opportunity for diversified land use.

Eddington assigned planning, planting and on-going consultancy roles to Absolute Viticulture's Marty Smith.

The East Coast contractor has been around vines and wines all his life. His late father – Chris Smith – was a former Clare Valley vineyard manager. In 1986, he moved with his family to Lebrina to establish Clover Hill Vineyard. Young Marty found his vocation there.

Richmond Park Estate features a mix of Triassic sandstone and Jurassic dolerite geology. Vines get water at critical times when they need it. Reduced vine stress brings reliable cropping with marked increases in fruit quality. Less time spent worrying about viable management allows better planning, more efficient farming.

The Richmond Park 'pop-up' cellar door – currently under development – offers true paddock to plate experiences. Single vineyard premium wines showcase estate-grown lamb. A life-sized scrap metal merino – by local sculptor Matt Sloane – keeps close watch by the gate.

Eddington partners with Waverley Woollen Mills to weave Richmond Park fleece into bespoke woollen blankets. Estate visitors can purchase any of four different styles, each one reflecting a season in Tasmania.

Elsewhere on the property, removal of a 1990s-era levee bank restored natural water flows to one of Australia's largest wetland reclamation projects. The RAMSAR-listed Pitt Water-Orielton Lagoon is a wetland of world heritage significance. It takes in a portion of Richmond Park Estate. Improvements in habitat, soil health and water quality are already evident. Vineyard guests can bear witness to that.

Time is a precious commodity for a bloke with kids on the go. There's still time for vineyard walks, though. Today's investment in a farming family's future.

Key details:

  • Will Eddington: owner/operator
  • Marty Smith: consultant viticulturist, Absolute Viticulture
  • John Schuts: contract winemaker, Derwent Estate

Vineyard/cellar door address:

7 Morgan Street, Richmond TAS 7025

Telephone:

+61 406 751 007

Email:

will@richmondpark.estate

Website:

www.richmondpark.estate

Image: Matt Sloane
Image: Matt Sloane

Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.

Climate data* for sites in the Coal River Valley highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions here. Six Friends (MJT 15.9°C; 786 GDD); Pooley Cooinda Vale (MJT 16.8°C; 929 GDD); SISU (MJT 16.8°C; 929 GDD) figure among the coolest sites.

Richmond Park Estate and Strelley Farm Estate (both MJT 18.0°C; 1189 GDD) are considered to be among the warmest, along with Coal Valley Vineyard and Cross Rivulet Winery (both MJT 17.9°C; 1185 GDD).

Vineyard sites on the Australian mainland are far warmer than those in Tasmania.

South Australia's Piccadilly Valley* (MJT 20.4°C; 1730 GDD) and Macedon Ranges* (MJT 19.9°C; 1365 GDD) in Victoria are regarded as the coolest GIs in their respective states.

Climate data* for Morgan Street, Richmond, 1995-2024:

  • Total annual average rainfall: 484mm
  • Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 276mm
  • Average autumn rainfall: 106mm
  • Mean January temperature: 18.0°C
  • Growing degree-days: 1189 GDD
  • Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 1
  • Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 10

*Source: My Climate View, utilising past data from the Bureau of Meteorology and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Funded by the Australian Government.

Last page update: January 2026