Long Paddock Named Best Australian Cheese; Small Central Victorian Maker Beats the World at Its Own Game

Castlemaine artisan producer Long Paddock Cheese has been named Best Australian Cheese at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards in the UK. The Silicon Review examines how a small Central Victorian fromagerie is putting Australian cheese on the global map.

A small cheesemaker in Central Victoria has just achieved what few Australian producers have ever done. Long Paddock Cheese has been named Best Australian Cheese at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards in the UK, one of the dairy industry's oldest and most respected competitions.

The Castlemaine-based fromagerie's Banksia a semi-hard cheese made from certified organic cow's milk in the style of traditional French Alpine tommes took the top award in its class and placed second in the same category. The win caps a remarkable medal tally that included a silver for Driftwood (a soft cheese bound in spruce bark in the Alpine Vacherin style), a second silver for its cloth-bound cheddar-style Granite, and a bronze for its blue cheese, Bluestone.

Long Paddock co-director Gaetan Chapon said the result mattered because of the company it kept. "We all work incredibly hard to make truly great cheese, and having our work recognised by international judges is testament to that effort," he said.

"We are a small producer with a tight-knit team working at the other end of the world. To be recognised alongside some of the biggest and most respected cheesemakers across the globe means so much to our staff and to the local community who support us," Chapon said.

The International Cheese & Dairy Awards date back to 1897 and are judged blind by a panel of more than 250 graders, buyers and technical specialists. The results are closely tracked by retail buyers and export distributors, meaning the win carries significant commercial weight for the small producer.

Long Paddock, based at The Mill in Castlemaine, runs a single-site fromagerie supplying outlets nationally. Its certified organic milk comes from a single farm, and the business also runs a cheesemaking school. The UK result follows gold for Banksia at France's Mondial du Fromage in 2025, extending a remarkable run of international recognition for the four-year-old business.

Here is the question this award raises. A small Australian cheesemaker with organic milk from a single farm and a tight-knit team has beaten the world at its own game. But when a product this good is made in a regional Victorian town, why do so many Australians still reach for imported cheeses? And if Long Paddock can win gold on French soil and UK soil, what does that say about the future of Australian specialty food on the global stage?

The business was set up in 2021 with three co-owners, including French-trained cheesemaker Ivan Larcher. Co-owner Alison Lansley told Stock & Land, "Winning this award on French soil made the victory even sweeter."  Chapon described Banksia as having a "sweet nutiness," with grassy notes, and being "quite fruity for a hard cheese."

As Long Paddock is named Best Australian Cheese at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards, The Silicon Review asks a final question. When a small Victorian producer can go head-to-head with the world's best and come out on top, is this just a feel-good story or a sign that Australian specialty food has finally arrived on the global stage?

FAQ:

Q: Which Australian cheese won Best Australian Cheese at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards?
A: Long Paddock Cheese's Banksia, a semi-hard cheese made from certified organic cow's milk, was named Best Australian Cheese at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards in the UK.

Q: Where is Long Paddock Cheese based?
A: Long Paddock Cheese is based at The Mill in Castlemaine, Central Victoria, and sources its organic milk from a single farm in Girgarre.

Q: What style of cheese is Banksia?
A: Banksia is a semi-hard cheese made in the style of traditional French Alpine tommes, with a yellow paste, elastic texture, sweet nutiness, and grassy notes.

Q: What other medals did Long Paddock win at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards?
A: Long Paddock won silver for Driftwood (soft cheese bound in spruce bark), silver for Granite (cloth-bound cheddar-style), and bronze for Bluestone (blue cheese).

Q: When was Long Paddock Cheese established?
A: Long Paddock Cheese was set up as a commercial operation in 2021.