Columba Falls and The Pub in the Paddock

 9th Feb 2023

Todays progam is to travel inland a bit to check out a local cheese factory, one of Tasmania's highest water falls, and a local pub with a lot of history.

Our drive takes us to the town of Pyengana, the home of the well known Pyengana Dairy Company. The drive out in the countryside west of St Helens leaves no doubt that it is dairy country, with lush paddocks and lots of dairy cows.

We decide to go to the waterfall first, driving past the dairy, with an intention of stopping by on the way back. Arriving at the carpark fir the walk to the Columba Falls, we see thus impressive 4WD MAN Expedition Vehicle.


Once on the track we are walking through rainforest, with tree ferns everywhere. Disturbingly, the walk to the waterfall is mostly downhill, not a great omen for the walk back.




                                            The falls are quite spectacular and well worth the walk

The walk back uphill was invigorating, but not too bad and we were now ready for a cup of coffee and a visit to the cheese factory.


Pyengana Dairy Co


                They have a viewing area inside the coffee shop where you can look at the maturing cheese

We purchased a couple of types of cheese, had our cup of coffee and continued on. It was still a bit early for lunch, so we decided to do another short walk a bit further down the road.

The Weldborough PassRainforest walk only takes about 15 minutes and takes you through dense ainforest with same incredibly old myrtle trees.









It is now lunch time and our last destination in this area, The Pub in the Paddock. It is a bit of a local institution and obviously very popular with tourists. It is one of the oldest pubs in Tasmania, licensed in 1880.


The Pub in the Paddock



The dining room above was empty when we dropped in on the way to the waterfall to see if it would be open for lunch. When we did return it was packed.

The most famous resident is the pubs pet pig, Priscilla, who really enjoys a beer and she seems to get quite a few from enthusiastic tourists.


                                                 Priscilla enjoying a free beer

Lunch was a very tasty seafood chowder and a local beer. The weather continues to be a bit cool and a warn soup was very welcome.

For dinner tonight we bought a few steaks from the IGA in St Helens and utilised the BBQ at Queechy Motel to have nice steak and salad with a bottle of red.

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