The Cheesemaking Workshop share their Top 10 favourite cheeses in Australia

Last year we had an article about the rise of artisan cheese on the north coast which really resonated so we know there are plenty of cheese lovers out there!

With that in mind, we asked the lovely Melanie Browne from The Cheesemaking Workshop & Deli in Coffs Harbour to share her Top 10 favourite Australian cheeses.  Here’s what Mel had to say….

Mel from the cheesemaking workshop
Melanie shares with Coastbeat her favourite Aussie cheeses

Some of these cheesemakers are new to the market and are already making big waves whilst others bring generations of tradition to their range. In addition to these below, there are lots of others out there making beautiful cheeses. Please note that this list is in random order (it’s impossible to pick favourites!)

Pyengana Dairy

With over 130 years of cheese making tradition, Pyengana Dairy specialises in hand crafted cloth bound cheddar. They are easily one of our bestsellers for cheddars. In our recent Cheese Club, we compared this to an organic Welsh cheddar call Hafod and the Aussie cheddar won by a landslide within our group! test

Pyengana's traditional cloth matured cheddar is a favourite. Image courtesy of Pyengana Dairy
Pyengana’s traditional cloth matured cheddar is a favourite. Image courtesy of Pyengana Dairy

Grandvewe

I LOVE sheep milk cheeses and Tassie’s Grandvewe whip up some incredible cheeses. Whenever I can get my hands on their White Pearl or Gin Herbalist, I’m a happy little cheese eater. On top of making a range of delicious sheep cheeses, this family-owned business also use their whey in both a gin and vodka range. 

Woombye Cheese Company

Relatively new to the Australian cheese market, Woombye Cheese make, in my opinion, some of the best soft cheeses (think triple cream brie or washed rinds) available in Australia. With Woombye, you can always rely on quality and they’re an Aussie favourite in our deli. This Sunshine Coast hinterland-based business are family-owned and operated.

Woombye's handcrafted soft cheeses are delicious. Image courtesy of Woombye Cheese Company
Woombye’s handcrafted soft cheeses are delicious. Image courtesy of Woombye Cheese Company

Nimbin Valley Dairy

Nimbin Valley Dairy are as local as it gets for us. Paul and Kerry do a delicious selection of cow and goat cheeses. The couple come from a long line of dairy farmers and are passionate about wholesome produce.

Section28 Artisan Cheeses

From the Adelaide Hills, Section28 are a quality producer of hard and semi-hard Alpine cheese. They’re also one of the lucky few cheese makers with the authorisation to make raw milk cheeses.

Adelaide's Section28 is one of the few cheesemakers creating raw milk cheeses. Images courtesy of Section28
Adelaide’s Section28 is one of the few cheesemakers creating raw milk cheeses. Images courtesy of Section28

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Woodside Cheese Wrights

Another cheesemaker in the Adelaide Hills. I consider the head cheesemaker of Woodside Cheese Wrights Kris Lloyd, one of the current pioneers of the artisan cheese industry in Australia. Her attention to detail, even in her packaging, shows her commitment to creating a high-quality product. Kris often infuses her cheeses with native Australian flavours (she even has a green ant cheese!).

I love Kris Lloyd's innovative and creative approach to cheesemaking. Image courtesy of Woodside Cheese Wrights
I love Kris Lloyd’s innovative and creative approach to cheesemaking. Image courtesy of Woodside Cheese Wrights

Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese

Owner and master cheesemaker Barry Charlton of Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese specialises in blue cheeses. Every single blue I’ve tried from here is incredible and they’re regularly winning awards.

Holy Goat Cheese

We find the goat cheese from Holy Goat stunning. Carla and Ann-Marie are the makers behind this brand with cheese made daily on the 200+ acre organic farm they purchased over 20 years ago in Castlemaine, Victoria. These girls love working with their herd of Saanen and British Alpine goats.

Holy Goat's La Luna Cheese Ring. Image courtesy of The Cheesemaking Workshop
Holy Goat’s La Luna Cheese Ring. Image courtesy of The Cheesemaking Workshop

Bruny Island Cheese Co.

The Apple Isle’s Bruny Island would have to be one of the most well-known artisan cheesemakers in Australia. Nick Haddow is also responsible for creating the Australian cheese festival MOULD. The festival brings together the nation’s best cheesemakers to show off their produce.

Bay of Fires Cheeses

Believe it or not, Ian Fowler of Bay of Fires Cheeses is a 13th generation cheesemaker! Ian’s family have around 400 years of expertise and while Ian and his wife and children now call the east coast of Tasmania home, the Fowlers are England’s oldest cheesemaking family. Bay of Fires is best known for their award-winning cloth bound cheddar with semi-hard rinds another specialty.

Try these cheeses for yourself from the deli of The Cheesemaking Workshop located at the Big Banana on the Coffs Coast.

Has all this cheese talk made you hungry? Read more great food articles here.