The Fleurieu cheese trail

A peninsula built for cheese

The Fleurieu has the right combination of cool wet winters, green pasture and small farming families to be a serious dairy region - and it quietly is. This trail strings together the spots where you can actually taste, buy and picnic on local cheese in a single, sensible day. It is built as a loop so you do not have to backtrack at the end of the afternoon.

When to go

Late winter through spring (August to November) is when the dairies are at their most generous - calves are young, milk is rich, and the spring grass gives the cheeses a yellow buttery edge. Avoid Mondays - many smaller farm gates are closed.

How to do it well

Bring a soft cooler bag with an ice brick and put it in the boot before you leave. Cheese is fragile and the day is long. Pack a picnic blanket, a sharp knife, a small cutting board, a baguette from a bakery before you start, and a couple of bottles of water. Buy as you go and picnic at one of the lookouts or under a shade tree at a cellar door - most are happy for you to bring food in if you also buy a glass of wine.

A note on opening hours

Farm gate dairies often have idiosyncratic hours. Always check the listings on each location page before you commit to the route, especially on weekdays.

What to take home

A round of fresh curd, a hard washed-rind for slow eating later, and one wildcard - something you have never tried before. Ask the people behind the counter what is best this week. They always know.