
The Pondering Frog Cafe and Ice Creamery and RV Stop Over has been operating for nearly 8 years. Our mission is to supply high quality information, service and product to the travelling public on the East Coast of Tasmania.
On a visit to Tasmania in December 2013 we stumbled across a very special property. It presented itself as being in an excellent location and with the right management and development could becoming a great stop over for people travelling the Tasman Highway on the East Coast of Tasmania.
Since opening the gate in July 2014 we have developed what was a shed in a paddock selling ice cream and smoothies out of the kitchen, to a vibrant place to stop and relax. We have progressively worked through our development plan to achieve what we are today. Each year we have added more and more to the business. We have gradually established our name in the market place as a must stop destination for help with your itinerary, great food and fabulous ice cream. There is ample seating both inside and outside either on the deck looking out to the river, in the garden overlooking the playground or in the covered veranda out the front.
From our humble beginning as a tin shed in the paddock we now offer a vibrant place to stop and relax. With a full menu from breakfast, through morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, to a place for the RV;s to stop and explore the East Coast, to the kids playground, the extensive outdoor areas and goats to pat, there is something for everyone. As the gate way to the National park it is becoming known as the place to go for a personalised itinerary to help you enjoy the gems of the East Coast Drive. Open 7 days all year, The Pondering Frog has something for everyone.
Prior to coming to Tasmania, Lester owned and operated a large tourist facility in Young NSW. JD’s Jam Factory was well known throughout Australia. Lester built the business up from a shed on the side of the road to a 140 seat restaurant, retail outlet and manufacturing facility supplying products to Coles and Woolworths nationwide under his own label. He also had a large cherry orchard and supplied SPC with canned black sweet cherries for the catering industry.
Collette is the frog lady. She has been collecting frogs for many years and has some interesting figurines. Her pride and joy is The Pondering Frog. This frog was the inspiration for the name of the property. One the way down to Tasmania in 2014 Lester’s daughter gave Collette the large ceramic pondering frog as a house/business warming present. We couldn’t decide on a name for the business.
One day a customer came and asked ” What is that frog thinking about?” Collette replied “He is pondering on what we will call the place” Hence the name was born!
Lester and Collette are very hospitable people and will make you feel welcome when you come to visit.