The lush valleys of Pyengana and Weldborough once supported a thriving population of tin miners and foresters. Now, they are some of Tasmania’s richest and most scenic pastoral lands. The East Coast’s fertile valleys harbour farmland, forests, mountains and waterfalls. Travel inland from St Helens to explore this tranquil part of the East Coast.
Visit the Pyengana Dairy Company to sample award-winning, English-style cheddars and meet the cheesemaker (and the cows) before enjoying a real farmhouse lunch by the fire in the Holy Cow Cafe. You can also visit the quirky, heritage-listed Pub in the Paddock, one of Tasmania’s oldest pubs (and yes, it really is in the middle of a paddock). At the Weldborough Hotel, part of the Tasmanian Beer Trail, you can also sample artisan beers and ciders from Tasmania’s boutique beer and cider producers.
Walk off lunch in the area’s forest reserves and mountains, including St Columba Falls—the highest waterfall in Tasmania, or take to your mountain bike to experience the challenge and exhilaration of the 18 kilometre Blue Tier Descent from Poimena to Weldborough.
Getting there
Fertile Valleys is 4hrs from Hobart and 2hrs and 8 min from Launceston.
Must do’s
- Visit St Columba Falls and experience the ancient rainforest with massive tree ferns, sassafras, myrtle and beech trees. See if you can spot a platypus
- Hug the widest living tree in Australia on the Blue Tier Giant Tree walk
- Head to Poimena in the Blue Tier and wander the many short walks through the forest with amazing views down to the coast
- Mount Paris Dam (near Weldborough) has numerous walks and historic relics from the area’s mining heritage
- Check out the memorabilia from the Chinese Tin Miners of the 1870’s in the Weldborough Hotel
- Take the interpretive trail from the Weldborough Hotel into the rainforest
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