Yes cheese! Don’t miss this cheese-lover’s tour of Australia

When delicious cheese is on the line why not go directly to the source? Take your pick of the best cheese hotspots around Australia.

By Carolyn Tate

Brie, cheddar, blue, mozzarella, colby, goat…even those little triangles with the laughing cow face on them. There’s a cheese to suit just about everyone, and if you’re a lover of cheese, you’ll most likely have your favourites.

What better way to celebrate your love of cheese than to design a national tour around the best places to enjoy fantastic cheese that our nation has to offer? Or perhaps, just visit one or two. Your choice. Here are our picks of the best spots for cheese lovers in Australia.

1. King Island Dairy, Tasmania

Tasmania is the home of quite a few award-winning cheeses, but this one is probably its best known. King Island Dairy produces top-quality blues, cheddars and soft cheeses made from King Island milk, sourced from a handful of local farms. But, more than that, it offers a wonderful experience for the visiting cheese lover, including cheese platters with matching wines or beers, and a range of branded merchandise you can take home to elevate your future home cheese experiences.

Address: 869 North Rd, Loorana, King Island

Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday, Friday & Sunday; 10:30am - 4:30pm

More info: King Island Dairy 

2. Bruny Island Cheese and Beer Company, Tasmania

The clue to what makes Bruny Island special is in the name: cheese AND beer. Made using milk from their herd of rare cows and employing traditional cheese-making techniques, Bruny Island’s cheeses change with the seasons and are well known for being some of the finest artisan cheeses made in Australia. Come and watch cheese being made, and talk to the cheese and beer makers - and stick around to sample their wares.

Address: 1807 Main Rd, Great Bay, Bruny Island
Opening hours: 7 days; 10am - 4pm
More info: Bruny Island Cheese and Beer

3. Pyengana Dairy Company, Tasmania

The farmers of Pyengana have been handcrafting traditional cloth-matured farmhouse cheddar for over 130 years, and you can visit their farmgate to see the cheesemakers at work, meet their happy cows, and enjoy a platter on their scenic deck. And of course you can also purchase a range of products to take away or have delivered to your home.

Address: 163 St Columba Falls Rd, Pyengana
Opening hours: 7 days; 9am - 5pm
More info: Pyengana Dairy Company 

4. Prom Country Cheese, Victoria

Lovers of blue cheese, rejoice! Some may call it an acquired taste, some may make less flattering observations, but true cheese lovers know the beauty of a good blue. Set on beautiful acreage in Moyarra in South Gippsland, these second-generation cheesemakers are involved in the entire paddock-to-plate process of their handcrafted and award-winning cheeses. Prom Country Cheese specialises in certified organic raw milk cheese, but it’s their famous, award-winning Venus Blue vein cheese that you won’t want to miss.

Address: 275 Andersons Inlet Rd, Moyarra/Bena
Opening hours: Saturday; 11am - 4pm
More info: Prom Country Cheese

5. That’s Amore Cheesery, Victoria

Producing award-winning cheeses in a distinct Italian style, That’s Amore uses traditional processes to produce Italian favourites like fior di latte, ricotta, buffalo mozzarella, and caciocavallo. The on-site deli is a one-stop shop where you can stock up on artisanal cheese and gourmet groceries, and the cafe invites you to indulge in a range of deliciously cheesy dishes. You can also experience their fresh ricotta straight out of production just the way you like it, savoury or sweet.

Address: 66 Latitude Blvd, Thomastown

Opening hours: Monday - Saturday; 8am - 5pm / Sunday; 8am - 4pm

More info: That’s Amore Cheesery 

6. Milawa Cheese Co, Victoria

Anyone with a passing interest in cheese will know Milawa Cheese Company, which has been churning out top quality preservative-free cheeses since 1988. You can pop in to learn about a range of cheeses, and have a cheeky taste while you’re there, and enjoy a matching wine from Wood Park Wines, which shares the historic Butter Factory building.

Address: 17 Factory Rd, Milawa

Opening hours: 7 days; 9:30am - 4pm

More info: Milawa Cheese Co.

7. Jannei Goat Dairy, New South Wales

For something a little bit different, visit Blue Mountains hidden gem Jannei for a wonderful award-winning goat cheese experience. Book a cheese tasting or farm tour, or just drop by to sample Jannei’s fresh and semi-hard goat’s cheese, licensed raw milk, kefir and yoghurt - all made right there on the farm.

Address: 11 View St, Lidsdale

Opening hours: Monday - Tuesday, Thursday - Saturday; 9am - 5pm (closed during Winter)

More info: Jannei Goat Dairy

8. The Artisan Cheese Room, New South Wales

For something slightly more convenient for the city-dwellers, this Manly hole-in-the-wall store boasts over 50 types of cheeses from all over the world, and it even hosts its own cheese club for those that are truly committed. They’re located a short stroll from Manly’s Ferry Wharf so why not pop in for a taste - and don’t forget your cooler bag!

Address: Shop 1, 40 East Esplanade, Manly

Opening hours: Tuesday - Saturday; 10am - 5pm, Sunday; 10am - 4pm

More info: The Artisan Cheese Room

9. Hunter Valley Cheese, New South Wales

The wonderful thing about Hunter Valley Cheese Factory is that their trained cheese specialists will guide you around the factory so you can see how the cheese is made, and of course you can sample their vast array of cheese varieties, including fromage blanc, feta, brie, washed rind, natural rind, cheddar, tommes, blue vein, and more. There are also various themed tasting lunches to choose from.

Address: 447 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin

Opening hours: 7 days; 9am - 5:30pm

More info: Hunter Valley Cheese

10. Cambray Cheese, Western Australia

Cambray Cheese is a small family-operated business in Nannup, offering a unique range of award-winning ewe’s milk cheeses and cow’s cheese, including soft white-mould cheeses, a traditional Greek-style feta, and a variety of matured cheeses. All Cambray cheese is made right there on the farm. Drop into the farm shop to see the cheesemaking in progress, and enjoy a cheese platter in the tranquil farm surrounds. During sheep milk season, you can also watch the afternoon milking between 3pm and 4pm, and if you’d like to stick around, you can book into one of the farmstay cottages for a night or two, so you can really settle in and enjoy as much cheese as you like.

Address: 869 North Rd, Loorana, King Island

Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday, Friday & Sunday; 10:30am - 4:30pm

More info: Cambray Cheese

11. Stanthorpe Cheese, Queensland

Set in the border highlands at Thulimbah, in the Granite Belt, Stanthorpe Cheese’s artisan products are made from a single herd of pure-bred Jersey cows, making the cheeses unique and varied, season by season. When the rains have made the grass rich and luscious, for example, the cheese becomes bright yellow and earthy. Visit the Jersey Girls Cafe for a very special ploughman’s lunch, or grab a hamper to take with you if you’re planning on visiting the local wineries too.

Address: 4 Duncan Lane, Thulimbah

Opening hours: 7 days; 9:30am - 4pm

More info: Stanthorpe Cheese

Now that you’re a cheese expert, why not put those skills to good use with these expert tips on entertaining.