It is one of two of the most southern cafés in Australia and many truckies stop off at the Dover Top Shop Eatery to get a meal or a snack.
Dover town is in Tasmania beside the Huon Highway and is located 81km south west of the capital Hobart.
Some truck drivers informed Big Rigs about the café and I called in just after lunch time one Saturday.
It is owned by Jennifer Hampson – and her two friendly staff Emily and Michelle were hard at work cooking and serving food.
“I have owned it for two months and keep the food reasonably priced. We get locals, tourists and truckies who park nearby,” Hampson said.
I ordered some crumbed fish and it was served up perfectly and was cheaper than the same food I had purchased at other eateries.
Most supplies are delivered by refrigerated light trucks and any other ingredients are purchased from the local supermarket.
There are clean public toilets just across the road from the café.
There is one other café up the street, which is 19km south.
Dover is recognised as the southernmost town of significance in Australia.
It is probable that Dover takes its name from the famous English town of the same name.
Dover was originally established as a convict probation station and operated between 1844 and 1848. There is now little evidence of the town’s penal past.
After the convict settlement the small town developed as a port – the main activity was shipping Huon pine to the world.
By 1850 there were a number of sawmills in the area.