Prospect House

Architect: Unknown (1830)

Builder: Henry Buscombe, Accommodation (1970), Refurbishment (2019)

The Buscombes are thought to have referred to architectural pattern books in designing their buildings.

James Buscombe commissioned Prospect House in 1830, and the construction most likely the work of Buscombe’s younger brother, Henry. James arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (as Tasmania was then known) in 1822. In 1827, together with his new wife Elizabeth, he moved to Richmond where he commissioned the Lennox Arms Inn, among other buildings in Richmond.

We have little information on what prompted the couples move to Richmond from Hobart Town, but it proved to be a prosperous one, resulting in the construction of Prospect House, or Prospect Villa as it was then known. By 1835, Richmond was the third largest town in Tasmania and the Coal River Valley was known as the granary of Australia. A growing market town, it was a convenient place to stop when travelling to the east coast or to Port Arthur.

As a free immigrant with some capital behind him, James Buscombe was assigned a number of convicts who assisted with the construction of Prospect House. The land on which Prospect House was built was part of a land grant originally given to Lieutenant Governor Sorell.  Surrounding the house was approximately 40 acres of land, most probably planted with crops such as wheat and oats, with a garden and orchard near the house.

Following the death of Buscombe in 1851, the house was home to agriculturalists, a retired army colonel, a horse racer, restaurateurs and hoteliers. In 2018, the house was purchased by the Pooley family, restored and developed into a 5-star private hotel.

Open: Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 February 2024, 11 am – 3 pm (registration required at door)