Gippsland cheese takes top spot at dairy awards

Barry is owner and head cheese maker of Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese in Gippsland, VIC, and is very humble about his success including taking out top honours at this year's Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show.

Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese's Riverine Blue was crowned Champion Cheese of Show and Champion Sheep, Goat, Buffalo or Camel Milk Product, for its Riverine Blue and Champion Specialty Cheese for its Bellingham Blue, which also made it onto the Australian Cheeseboard Perpetual Trophy.

No stranger to a Sydney Royal Champion, Barry claimed his first Champion Cheese just under a decade ago in 2011 and Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese has officially claimed 12 Champion accolades.

Barry said there are three factors which help make his cheese the best.

"We have such dedicated staff, great quality milk and years of experience," he said.

"I can't speak highly enough of the team at Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese.

"It's quite overwhelming but at the end of the day it really does come down to our wonderful staff.

"Winning the Sydney Royal Champion Cheese is a great honour and proves to us that we are doing something right."

Barry is part of a team of nine staff who he said have a passion for making great cheese.

As with most products, the quality starts with the ingredients.

"I source my milk from three local dairies," Barry said.

"They are each run by very passionate farmers who love their animals.

"Each dairy is dedicated to providing top quality milk.

"We get cows milk from our neighbour the Hutchisons, buffalo milk from Brian Jans at Gifford West, and another type of cows milk from my son-in-law Peter Price.

"So we support local dairies and they support us by supplying us with great milk.

"Great quality milk means great quality cheese.

"I have worked with some poorer milks and it really makes creating a good cheese very difficult."

Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that winning Champion Cheese of Show would have been the highlight for Barry but one award had special significance.

"Taking out the Champion Specialty Cheese for our Bellingham Blue in particular means the world to us," he said.

"It's Cheryl's maiden name and a cheese we weren't sure we would produce in the coming years but to see that the judges love it as much as we do, means a lot."

Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show Chair of Judges, Mark Livermore said despite some noticeable effects due to tough conditions in the dairy industry, exhibitors at this year's Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show should be acknowledged for producing outstanding products.

"While the difficulties faced by the industry in recent years was reflected in the flavours coming through in some of the products this year, such as the hay and silage being used in comparison to grassy flavours, it's impressive to still see so many exceptional dairy products," Mr Livermore said.

"We had 799 entries in this year's Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show and 117 of those were awarded Gold Medals.

"Of particular note, we saw an outstanding range of cheeses, ice creams and gelatos presented for the judging for the various champions."

The Little Big Dairy Company, Dubbo, NSW, made its debut after winning Champion Cream for the first time with its The Little Big Dairy Company Double Cream.

Meanwhile, 2019 RAS President's Medal winner Meredith Dairy also wowed the judges with its Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese Original Chevre which took a place on the Australian Cheeseboard Perpetual Trophy.

The Australian Cheeseboard Perpetual Trophy included: