Richmond Court House revitalisation
For progress updates click here.
Richmond Court House will be adaptively reused to develop a new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in the Hawkesbury.
The adaptive reuse is a joint project between the NSW Government, Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs and RSL LifeCare and is supported by RSL NSW and its sub-Branches located in the region.
This new Hub will support the more than 20,000 veterans and their families in the region as well as the current serving personnel at RAAF Base Richmond. Analysis of census data has identified that the Hawkesbury Hub will be required to support over 7,700 personnel and their families who live within the region. Including the Bardia Barracks site in service planning and delivery increases access to an additional 11,442 veterans and their families, not just in the immediate LGAs but also those in the corridor between the Hawkesbury region and Ingleburn.
The proposed use will restore and refurbish a significant public heritage asset and provide a facility that will support veterans and their families in the Hawkesbury region.
The proposed works to the existing building include an extension to accommodate a kitchen and communal areas for veterans while maintaining the heritage aspects of the building.
The RSL LifeCare Veteran and Family Hub model is a proven one-stop shop offering a wide range of free support services, including financial assistance, transitional housing pathways, DVA claims and advocacy support, employment services, and wellbeing programs and social connection opportunities. The hubs also connect veterans and their families to NSW Government supports, including housing, education, employment, health, and other social services and supports and for those who are experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness, through the Rent Choice subsidy.
The new Hub will be located near Richmond Mall and provide a space where veterans and their families can come together, share experiences, and build lasting connections.
The Hub will be delivered as part of a $5 million grant from the Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The grant provides funding across both the Richmond and Bardia Barracks sites.
14 August 2026: Construction begins
Construction on the Richmond Court House Veterans and Families Hub began on Friday 14 August 2026. Read the media release >
NSW Minister for Veterans David Harris and Federal Member for the Hawkesbury Susan Templeman turned the first sod on repurposing the historic Richmond Court House.
View some images from the launch below.
Hub design
McNally Architects has been appointed by RSL LifeCare as the architectural firm for the Richmond Court House refurbishment. Below are the architectural renders of the new hub, including internal and external perspectives.
Frequently asked questions
Why was the Richmond Court House chosen as the location for the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub?
The Richmond Court House is no longer fit for purpose as a court house. The adaptive reuse of the court house as a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub will preserve the heritage significance and value of the courthouse while providing a much-needed service to the veteran community.
The court house is centrally located in Richmond and is a short walk from the train station. The new Hub will be easily accessible for veterans and their families in the region.
Will the heritage aspects of the building be maintained?
It is important that the adaptive reuse and development of the new Hub respects the history and heritage of the site. RSL LifeCare has received $5.445 million in funding from the Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs which will be used to support the establishment of two major Hubs, one in Richmond, and one in Bardia Barracks.
Both sites are repurposing historic and heritage buildings and providing additional sympathetically designed modern community-based facilities.
What funding has the new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub received?
RSL LifeCare has received $5.445 million in funding from the Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs which will be used to support the establishment of two major Hubs, one in Richmond, and one in Bardia Barracks, both being supported by the NSW Government.
What is the timeline for the adaptive reuse?
The Department of Communities and Justice and NSW Police decommissioned the court house in April 2025, to begin conservation assessments and design for the Development Application as well as preparation for physical works to commence from August 2026. The Hub is expected to be completed and opened by mid 2027.
Who will be able to access the new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub?
RSL LifeCare Veteran and Family Hubs are accessible to all current and former serving Australian Defence Force members, including reservists, and their families.
The two hubs at Richmond and Bardia will work collaboratively to provide a corridor of support for Veterans and their families from the Hawkesbury Region to South Western Sydney.
What is the history of the Richmond Court House?
In 1875, the citizens of Richmond petitioned for a court house, which was approved and constructed between 1877 and 1879.
The building was designed in the office of James Barnet, the Colonial Architect from 1862 to 1890, and replaced the police watch-house which was built on the site in 1821.
By 1930, plans showed the court house layout included cells, a magistrate’s office, and police residences.
Since then, the court house has undergone internal reconfigurations and structural upgrades including timber refurbishments, roofing repairs, and repainting to modernise the building while preserving its heritage aspects.
Richmond Court House, circa 1870s, artist unknown
How many Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs are there in NSW?
There will be eight Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs in NSW once all of the new locations are open.
RSL LifeCare operates all of the Hubs in NSW.
Five of the Hubs are funded by DVA as part of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs Network. Two Hubs received partial funding from DVA and one Hub did not receive funding from DVA.
Below is a status of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs in NSW.
| Location | Status | DVA-Funded |
| Central Coast (Wyong) | Open | Partially funded by DVA |
| Hawkesbury (Richmond) | Location announced. | Yes |
| Hunter (Maitland) | Expected to be completed by the end of 2025 | Yes |
| Northern Beaches (Dee Why) | Open | No |
| Queanbeyan | Open | Yes |
| Riverina (Wagga Wagga) | Open | Partially funded by DVA |
| Shoalhaven (Nowra) | Open | Yes |
| Tweed/North Coast (Tweed Heads) | Location announced.
Expected to be completed by mid-2026 |
Yes |
Banner image by Peter Stokes Photography.