Pyengana

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Pyengana | state = tas | image = Pyengana aerial.jpg | caption = Aerial photo of Pyengana region | pop =  | est = | postcode = 7216 | coordinates = {{coord|41|17|22|S|148|00|17|E|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_label_position = left | lga = Break O'Day Council | stategov = [[Division of Lyons (state)|Lyons]] | fedgov = [[Division of Lyons|Lyons]] }} '''Pyengana''' is a [[village]] in north-east [[Tasmania]], [[Australia]]. It is part of the [[Break O'Day Council]] administrative region, with less than 1% in the [[Dorset Council (Australia)|Dorset]] LGA. The regional centre is [[St Helens, Tasmania|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.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

==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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Community History|title=History of our region|url=http://www.tco.asn.au/oac/community_history.cgi?oacID=43&articleID=172086|publisher=St Helens Online Access Centre|accessdate=11 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723155237/http://www.tco.asn.au/oac/community_history.cgi?oacID=43&articleID=172086|archive-date=23 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Georges River Post Office opened on 1 December 1885 and was renamed ''Pyengana'' in 1888.<ref name = "Post Office">{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=Tas&country= | accessdate = 16 June 2012}}</ref>

The area had several tin mines such as the Anchor Tin Mine and Battery situated in the Pyengana Pass.

== Demographics == At the {{CensusAU|2006}}, Pyengana had a population of 123.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 Pyengana |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2006/SSC65976 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref> The [[2016 Australian census|2016 census]] recorded a population of 104,<ref>{{Cite web |title=2016 Pyengana |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2016/SSC60522 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref> while at the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the population had decreased to 96.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Pyengana |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL60527 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>

==Natural heritage areas== Natural heritage areas include [[Mount Victoria Forest Reserve|St Columba Falls]] (a cascading waterfall with the highest plunge of 90 metres), Halls Falls, and Blue Tier.

==Local businesses== [[File:Milking Shed at Pyengana Dairy, Tasmania.jpg|thumb|277x277px|Milking Shed at Pyengana Dairy.]] 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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tastes of Tasmania|title=A Century of cheddar|url=http://www.leatherwoodonline.com/tastes/2004/pyengana/|accessdate=11 April 2011}}</ref>

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 public.<ref>{{cite web|last=North East Tasmania|title=Pub in the Paddock|url=http://www.netasmania.com.au/online/db/20020214-3.html|accessdate=11 April 2011}}</ref>

Anchor Farms began growing organic gourmet potatoes in 1995 and now supply nationwide and export to South East Asia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anchororganics.com.au/ |title=Home |website=anchororganics.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yumtasmanian.com.au/ |title=Home |website=yumtasmanian.com.au}}</ref>

==Further reading== *'Pyengana - A New Country' by Gwen Webb

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Towns in Tasmania]] [[Category:North East Tasmania]] [[Category:Localities of Break O'Day Council]] [[Category:Populated places established in the 1870s]]