Who: Julian and Dianne Benson, Apostle Whey
Where: Cooriemungle, Corangamite Shire, Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar Country
Julian, what makes Apostle Whey cheese win awards?
You can’t make great cheese without great milk. We go to great lengths to ensure we have the highest-quality milk possible. This starts with the soil and pasture. Good nutrition means healthy cows. We have also planted rows and rows of native trees for shade and shelter. When the cows calve, we put them in sheds for protection.
Do you rotate the cows around the paddocks?
We have 26 day paddocks and 26 night paddocks, and we move the cows each day, which gives the pastures time to grow and helps keep the soil in good condition.
Tell us about your cheese.
We make four types, from feta to Havarti-style to blue, but we are best known for our white-mould cheeses. Our Southern Briez, a Brie, won best white-mould cheese in 2019. Our Loch Ard Gorgeous is similar to a Normandy-style Camembert with a velvety surface and smooth, creamy centre. And if people like blue cheese, they will love the Bay of Martyrs, a medium-strength blue with a generous network of blue veins and a tangy finish.
You have a lot of Great Ocean Road references in your cheeses.
Our cheesery is a short drive off the Great Ocean Road and is open 364 days a year. We don’t just want people to try our cheese; we want them to see what life is like on the farm and how cheese is made. I even do a YouTube farm journal. Education and transparency are crucial to our business. Come and see us next time you’re in the region.
And if we’re not heading along the Great Ocean Road?
Go to the Queen Vic Market and see Ripe cheese shop or Pavilion Select Produce. Our cheese is also available at La Casa Nostra Deli in Rosebud, Natures Cargo in Wendouree, FoodWorks Apollo Bay, and Camperdown WellNest. There are many more stores, plus our wholesale contact details are on our website at apostlewheycheese.com.au.