On their Royal Highnesses recent visit to Tasmania to celebrate the Queen’s silver jubilee, The Mill House was chosen as the destination to entertain the royals and for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall GCVO, GSM to share a light luncheon. The Duchess enjoyed a few hours of relaxation and enjoyed the magnificent gardens and the stunning location in the historic Richmond Village. Her Royal Highness was presented with a beautiful painting of the home (painted by the vendor) and following her brief, pleasant visit proceeded to a reception in nearby Hobart.

The Mill House enjoys a most prominent position in the historic village of Richmond, Tasmania. This grand home sits on 1.73 hectares (4.25 acres) bounded by the lower reaches of the Coal River. The property consists of 2 titles with the boundary being the centre of the Coal River (tempting to have your own stretch of trout waters!! and free access for garden irrigation).
The Mill House is situated immediately adjacent to the oldest bridge in Australia (Richmond Bridge AD 1823). 4.25 acres of magnificent gardens, ancient English trees and manicured lawns offer a sublime, private oasis and invites your quiet strolls along the 400metres+/- of river frontage.

The Mill House was built as a steam powered flour mill by George Gunning Burn. Flour from the mill was an essential item to supply the fledgling colony of Hobart Town. The mill was then leased by William Bone until 1872 when it was sold at auction. It is of interest to read the agents advertisement from that time;

The Mill, which was erected by the late firm of Easby and Robertson, is substantially built and in perfect working order, and driven by a 9 horse power engine with a 12 horse power tubular boiler by Clayton and Shuttleworth, London. Attached is a circular saw and bench capable of cutting 30-40 tons of wood per diem. All in first class order and leased to Mr Bone at a low rental of and#8356;100 per annum.

In 1920 the famed Tasmanian artist John Elsershaw purchased the derelict mill and began the conversion to a home. Elsershaw rolled the old 12 metre long steel boiler from the mill into the river where it can be seen to this day, laying in the silt. John Eldershaw was a renowned landscape artist; his works hang in the British museum, the Royal Family’s private collection and over 40 Australian galleries. Many of his pieces feature The Mill House and the Richmond village.
In the late 1990′s a massive restoration project of the home was undertaken. The Mill House subsequently won a Master Builders award for renovation / restoration. Those previous owners ran a much awarded colonial guesthouse.

The current owners have taken this wonderful property to an entirely new level. They have lavished hours of dedicated care and attention to transforming the gardens into a private botanic wonderland. The home is impeccably presented, with all the conveniences of modern, practical living carefully melded into this historic building. The dining area is framed by the massive hand hewn beams that formed the chutes and supports for the flour mill’s machinery. Five bedrooms have magnificent and individually framed views of the historic Richmond Village and surrounds
What was once a separate old garage was converted to a charming self contained cottage, a large studio / workshop has been added (this sympathetically designed building could easily be converted to a substantial home).

The Mill House is a home that comprises over 450m2 (50 squares), it is a home of wonderful proportions that sits in an enviable position amidst spectacular gardens. The home is only a few minutes stroll from the coffee shops, antique emporiums and cafes of the tourist mecca of Richmond. It is an easy 25 minute drive through the Coal River Valley, passing by numerous famous Tasmanian vineyards and restaurants on the way to the Hobart CBD. The airport is just 15 minutes away.

The Mill House is one of Tasmania’s finest historic treasures we welcome your interest in this truly remarkable property.

For Sale by Negotiation at around $3,000,000

www.realimages.net.au/roberts22/ric.html