Mr Richardson died last month aged 76.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the former ALP senator as a Labor legend, hailing his work protecting critical natural sites including the Daintree Rainforest, during his time as environment minister.
But Mr Richardson, who had a colourful and sometimes controversial career as a Labor senator and minister during the Hawke and Keating governments, was more widely known for his factional wheeling and dealing.
He was known as the "minister for kneecaps" after a chequered tenure in politics which he harnessed as an acerbic commentator on conservative channel Sky News.
"He was, of course, a formidable character in 'machine politics' inside the Labor party," Mr Albanese said when Mr Richardson died.
"He fought politics hard inside the Labor Party and on behalf of the Labor Party."
Despite his reputation for ruthlessness, praise for Mr Richardson extended across politics from former prime ministers Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison to Greens stalwart Bob Brown.
His autobiography was named after his self-professed approach to politics: Whatever it Takes.
The hard-nosed warrior was embroiled in several investigations by the NSW corruption watchdog in 2009 and 2014 involving property deals.
He was also implicated in the 1999 "cash for comments" saga where prominent radio hosts such as Alan Jones and recently deceased John Laws were found to have promoted firms without disclosing the conflict of interest.
Mr Richardson had to resign as minister in 1992 because of his leveraging of political influence to help a relative secure a business deal in the Marshall Islands, who was later jailed for running scam.
The ornery deal-maker had been unwell for a long period before his death on Saturday, and in 2016 underwent a marathon surgery as he battled chondrosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
Tuesday's funeral will take place at St James' Church in central Sydney.
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