Richardson is named after the author Henry Handel Richardson, nom de plume of Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson (1870–1946).

It was gazetted on 5 May 1975. Streets are named after writers, especially female writers. It is next to the suburbs of Calwell, Isabella Plains, Gowrie and Chisholm. It is bounded by Johnson Drive, Ashley Drive and Isabella Drive. At Tuggeranong Homestead Between 1919 and 1925, the Australian war historian Charles Bean and his staff worked from the homestead to write and edit the Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918. The property was leased and farmed by Timothy McCormack, a member of a pioneering family from the Crookwell district between 1927 to 1976. Although Canberra suburbs have been developed on much of the original property the homestead has been preserved on 65 acres (260,000 m2) of surrounding land. The heritage-listed property currently hosts the Tuggeranong Homestead markets, on the first Sunday of every month, and is also a home for the Calwell Scout Group. (source)