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130 YEARS OF TRADITION & COUNTING

From the pristine pastures of North East Tasmania, the farmers of Pyengana have been creating farmhouse-style cheese from our rich, cream-on-top milk for over 130 years.  Pyengana cheese combines traditional cheesemaking practices with unrivaled provenance, culminating in a truly unique cheese experience.  


ABOUT

The farmers of Pyengana in North Eastern Tasmania have been handcrafting traditional cloth matured farmhouse cheddar for over 130 years. Pyengana Dairy continues this tradition as custodian of the traditional recipe and heritage vats that have been used in Pyengana for generations. 


European settlers first began making cheese in the Pyengana region in the 1800’s using methods imported from their respective homelands.  These traditions have survived throughout the generations and Pyengana Dairy is proud to produce cheese made using these recipes that remain largely unchanged.


Pyengana Dairy was founded in 1992 by Jon Healey, a fourth generation dairy farmer in Pyengana, who wanted to continue the tradition of making cheese on farms.  Today, Pyengana Dairy is a member of the TasFoods Group who proudly uphold the recipes that have been used by Pyengana for generations.  


THE TASTE OF NORTH EAST TASMANIA

To taste Pyengana cheddar is to taste North-East Tasmania.  Just like great wine, great cheese takes on the unique qualities of the environment in which it is made.  In the case of Pyengana, this means a combination of salty Bass Strait air, green pastures, frosty mornings and clear blue skies.  Our cows thrive in this pristine environment and this translates to the quality of our award-winning milk.


Our cheese is matured in a traditional cheese cloth and housed in a cave-like environment under our farmgate cafe.  This ideal environment harnesses natural air ventilation to draw cool air 1km down an underground tunnel to maintain a consistent temperature that is perfect for maturing cheddar cheese.  Our cheeses are then matured for up to two years to achieve the strong, bitey flavour and creamy yet crumbly texture Pyengana is known for.