Australia has developed one of the world’s most interesting regional food scenes over the past twenty years, driven by small-scale producers, strong farmers market culture, and regions with outstanding natural conditions for dairy farming. If you’re based in a major city and you’re interested in genuinely good food, here are the destinations worth a weekend trip for their dairy and produce.
The Yarra Valley, Victoria
The Yarra Valley east of Melbourne has been producing premium dairy for decades, and the farms and producers here make some of the best artisan dairy products in Australia. Yering Farm, Innocent Bystander, and a number of smaller producers in the valley sell yoghurt, fresh cheese, and cultured dairy products that are worth making the drive for.
The Yarra Valley Dairy in Yering makes a range of fresh and aged cheeses from local milk, and the farmgate shop sells yoghurt and labneh alongside the cheeses. The farm is worth visiting both for the quality of the products and for the setting. Arrive mid-morning on a weekend, pick up dairy products for a picnic, and spend the afternoon in the valley.
The Hunter Valley, New South Wales
The Hunter Valley is best known for wine, but its food scene extends well beyond the cellar door. Small dairy producers in the upper Hunter make yoghurt and soft cheese from local milk, and the farmers markets in Cessnock and Maitland feature producers from across the region. The Hunter Valley Cheese Company in Pokolbin has a range of artisan cheeses and cultured dairy products made from local milk.
A weekend in the Hunter Valley that combines wine, local cheese, fresh yoghurt from a farmers market, and a long lunch at a good restaurant is the kind of trip that’s worth planning around. The drive from Sydney takes about two hours and is straightforward. Go in autumn when the weather is comfortable and the produce is at its best.
McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, South Australia
South Australia has an outstanding food and wine culture, and the Adelaide Hills in particular have a strong artisan dairy tradition. The Adelaide Hills has excellent conditions for goat and sheep dairy, and several small producers make yoghurt and cheese from these milks. Udder Delights in the Adelaide Hills makes goat’s milk yoghurt that is genuinely exceptional and available at the farmgate as well as through various South Australian retailers.
The Central Market in Adelaide city is one of Australia’s best covered food markets and worth a morning visit for fresh dairy, cheese, and produce from South Australian producers. The combination of a Central Market morning and an afternoon in McLaren Vale or the Adelaide Hills makes an excellent food-focused day trip from the city.
Byron Bay Hinterland, New South Wales
The hinterland behind Byron Bay has developed a strong artisan food culture over the past decade. Small farms in the Bangalow, Clunes, and Mullumbimby areas produce dairy from grass-fed cows, and several of these producers sell directly at the Bangalow Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. The market is one of the best in regional New South Wales and is worth arriving at early to get access to the best produce.
The combination of Byron Bay’s food culture, the hinterland produce, and the surrounding landscape makes this one of the most appealing weekend food destinations in Australia. The drive from Brisbane takes about ninety minutes; from Sydney it’s a seven-hour drive that makes more sense as a longer trip than a weekend escape.
