Coal River Valley

The Coal River Valley is located in the City of Clarence, Tasmania and is a primarily agrarian area to the west of the city, located between the townships of Cambridge, and Richmond. It is nestled between the Meehan Range, Pitt Water and the Pontos Range.

Reflections of the riverbanks of the Coal River, Richmond Tasmania

The Coal River Valley was one of the earliest areas used by the first British settlers outside Hobart; the nearby town of Richmond dates from 1823 when a bridge across the Coal River was constructed. The name Coal River comes from the abundant natural source of coal in the area. The first British settlers used the valley as a mixture of grazing, pastureland and crop growing.

Its primary land usage is as vineyards and produces very high quality slow maturing cool weather grapes.

The Coal River Valley is sheltered from the city lights of Hobart by the Meehan Range making it an ideal location for the University of Tasmania's Mount Pleasant radio telescope observatory.