Pyengana
It is part of the Break O'Day Council administrative region, with less than 1% in the Dorset LGA. The regional centre is St Helens which is approximately 27 kilometres to the east. Pyengana is a rural farming region with a number of natural and historical heritage sites.
History
Permanent settlement commenced around 1875 with pioneering settlers such as George and Margaret Cotton who raised a family of nine children at the property they called St Columba.
Georges River Post Office opened on 1 December 1885 and was renamed Pyengana in 1888.
The area had several tin mines such as the Anchor Tin Mine and Battery situated in the Pyengana Pass.
Natural heritage areas
Natural heritage areas include St Columba Falls (a cascading waterfall with the highest plunge of 90 metres), Halls Falls, and Blue Tier.
Local businesses
The area is known for its Pyengana Cheese Factory which is run by 4th generation cheese maker Jon Healey and his family. The factory specialises in cloth bound cheddar.
Another local business is the 'Pub in the Paddock' which was established in 1900 and is inside a paddock. It boasted a beer drinking pig which has since passed on, but there is another pig there now that will also drink beer, but only that which is brought to it by the publican.
Anchor Farms began growing organic gourmet potatoes in 1995 and now supply nationwide and export to South East Asia.
Further reading
- 'Pyengana - A New Country' by Gwen Webb
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Pyengana (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
- ^ Community History. "History of our region". St Helens Online Access Centre. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ Tastes of Tasmania. "A Century of cheddar". Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ North East Tasmania. "Pub in the Paddock". Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ "Home". anchororganics.com.au.
- ^ "Home". yumtasmanian.com.au.