Richmond is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Yarra local government area. Richmond recorded a population of 28,587 at the 2021 census, with a median age of 34.
Three of the 82 designated major activity centres identified in the Melbourne 2030 Metropolitan Strategy are located in Richmond—the commercial strips of Victoria Street, Bridge Road and Swan Street.
The suburb has been the subject of gentrification since the early 1990s and now contains a mix of converted warehouse residences, public housing high-rise flats and terrace houses from the Victorian-era. The residential segment of the suburb exists among a lively retail sector. Richmond was home to the Nine Network studios, under the callsign of GTV-9, until the studios moved to Docklands in 2011. Dimmeys is long associated with Richmond, although it is located in the neighbouring suburb of Cremorne. The suburb is well known for its factory outlets along Bridge Road, remaining an attraction to the area.
Richmond is well known for Little Saigon along Victoria Street; however, the area is also recognised for illicit drug dealing (especially heroin) that occurs in both street-based and domestic contexts.
The Richmond District in San Francisco (the area north of Golden Gate Park) was named after Richmond, Victoria, Australia. The designer of the Park's Japanese Tea Garden was from Melbourne and bought land in the yet-undeveloped area and named after the then posh suburb of his hometown.
Landmarks and built environment
thumb|left|[[Swan Street scene in 1889]]
thumb|[[Bridge Road, Melbourne|Bridge Road in 1908 looking West towards Melbourne]]
Commercial and government
Richmond Trader’s Centre is a local shopping centre below an apartment block. Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre is a large modern complex built in 2001 to service the inner eastern suburbs.
The Loyal Studley Hotel was built in 1891 and is now used as a homewares shop. Richmond Power Station was built in 1891. The Burnley Theatre is now a commercial homewares shop, but contains some elements of the original interiors, including the foyer and stage. 450 Swan Street, completed in 1995, combines an old bank and modern building and is an example of deconstructivist architecture. Richmond Town Hall is a landmark building currently operated by the City of Yarra, which was built in the 1880s and redecorated during the interwar years. Hotels include the Mountain View Hotel, Corner Hotel, The Spread Eagle Hotel, the Rising Sun and the Swan (1890) and many others known for their live music.
Housing
With a large number of small homes in its narrow streets, Richmond has some of Melbourne's best examples of residential architecture from most periods. The majority of houses in Richmond are the single fronted Victorian style houses built from the 1850s to 1930s. Typically these houses are long thin blocks with two bedrooms at the front and family room/kitchen at the back. Traditionally the toilet or outhouse was situated at the back of the property outside.
Notable examples include The Malthouse, a landmark conversion of silos into apartments by award-winning architect Nonda Katsalidis.
The bluestone terrace homes at 13 & 15 James Street, built in 1857 in the rustic Gothic style for Eneas Mackenzie, a civil servant, are classified by the National Trust and are among the oldest homes remaining in Melbourne.
Lalor House on Church Street, named after and former home of Eureka Stockade upriser Peter Lalor, is a rich boom-style landmark.
Gallery
<gallery>
File:Pelaco factory in richmond victoria.jpg|View of the Pelaco factory between two art deco period houses
File:Malthouse richmond.jpg|Abinger Street looking west shows a diversity of housing styles including the Malthouse – industrial silos converted into contemporary apartments.
File:Victoria Street Gateway.jpg|The Victoria Street Gateway erected to recognise the cultural contribution of Vietnamese refugees
File:Saigon gateway, Richmond.jpg|The Victoria Street Gateway
</gallery>
Industry
From the mid-19th century, Richmond was a centre of manufacturing industry, including many large complexes such as the Bryant & May match factory, Jaques Limited engineering works, the Wertheim Piano factory and Pelaco.
Public space
Richmond has several of public space to cater for its dense population. The largest park is Burnley Park. Other notable spaces include Citizens Park, bordering on Church and Highett Streets, Barkly Gardens and the Allen Bain Reserve, as well as a number of smaller parks and reserves.
Other large parks are located in nearby suburbs, including Yarra Park and Melbourne Park in East Melbourne (Jolimont), the Golden Square Bicentennial Park, Burnley Park and oval, the Burnley Golf Course (survey paddock) and a number of sport reserves and ovals in neighbouring Burnley. Pridmore Park, Yarra Bank Reserve, Creswick Street Reserve and St James Park are in Hawthorn, Dickinsons Reserve, Yarra Bend Park, Studley Park Golf Course and Studley Park are in Kew.