King Island Dairy secures gold at dairy awards

Australian artisan cheesemaker King Island Dairy has received seven gold medals in the South Australian Dairy Awards’ Cheese category ahead of the Royal Adelaide Show. It also received the Champion Trophy for Best Hard or Semi-Hard Variety Other Than Cheddar, for the Heidi Farm Tilsit.

The Heidi Farm Tilsit also won gold for the dairy, alongside the Heidi Farm Gruyere, Heidi Farm Raclette, Roaring Forties Blue, Endeavour Blue, Black Label Double Brie washed rind, and Stokes Point Smoked Cheddar.

The Surprise Bay Cheddar, Furneaux Decadently Creamy double cream-style brie and Seal Bay Triple Cream brie received silver medals.

This follows wins at the Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards, where the 120-year-old dairy won five gold medals — of which four (Endeavour Blue, Black Label Double Brie, Stokes Point Smoked Cheddar and Roaring Forties Blue) appeared in this list.

With these wins now behind it, King Island Dairy has high potential to win big at the 2025 Australian Grand Dairy Awards in October.

“We’re beyond thrilled with these results,” said new Managing Director Nick Dobromilsky. “It goes to show that Australians still have a deep love for locally made artisan cheese, and we’re proud of the entire King Island Dairy family for achieving these monumental results!”

King Island Dairy may have been lost forever if it wasn’t for two entrepreneurs who swooped in at the last minute to save the dairy and its rich history.

Graeme Wilson and Nick Dobromilsky joined forces to buy the ailing dairy and deliver it back into Australian family ownership.

The new leadership team’s vision is to invest in product innovation, enhance retail partnerships, collaborate with the broader food industry, and reinforce King Island Dairy’s connection to the land and its skilled cheesemakers.

Image caption: Stokes Point Smoked Cheddar. Image supplied.