Byron Bay’s Justin Telfer is a cheese maker who has made a name for himself with his hand crafted cheeses.
Justin makes hand made farm style cheeses from local home grown milk and sells his wares at the local North Coast markets in New South Wales, Australia. But his journey hasn’t always been trudging through cow paddocks and rolling hills.
Previously Justin was the manager of the high rollers room at the Melbourne Casino where he was responsible for ensuring the whims of the high rollers were met.
But feeling that there had to be more to life Justin found himself contemplating how he was going to escape the world of gambling.
Taking a Gamble
“I was just standing there contemplating my future when a waitress walked by with a platter of cheeses. It just clicked - ‘cheese maker.’ I had an epiphany!”
These days an epiphany is followed very closely by a Google and that’s just what Justin did scouring the internet in search of a cheese making courses. It wasn’t long before Justin was the cream of the class at the Melbourne University’s agricultural school.
“We learnt how to make cheeses and yoghurt through a series of short courses and in 2002 I became a certified cheese maker,” he said.
Accepting a voluntary redundancy from the casino a year after his epiphany Justin, now armed with his cheese maker certificate, headed north in search of his Shangri-La in 2002.
It’s a Little Bit Cheesy
Settling on a farm just outside of Bangalow at Nashua, (near Byron Bay) Justin began building his business, Bangalow Cheese Co, which today produces 13 different kinds of cheeses.
“People think cheese making is romantic but it’s so far from romantic. It’s all about washing up, lots of washing up and impeccable cleanliness,” he said.
At this stage Justin’s production is a small concern averaging about 500 litres of milk a day which comes from a neighboring dairy. But small is okay with Justin as he claims he will never sell his cheese with a barcode on it preferring to maintain a high quality and a boutique style of cheese.
It seems that it’s all okay with the consumer too as Justin is kept extremely busy meeting local demand which has recently extended to Sydney where his cheeses are also sought after.
He has not been overlooked by the great cheese connoisseurs either picking up the 2008 Brisbane Cheese Awards with his “Byron Bay Blue” awarded the trophy for Best Blue Vein Cheese.
At two Regional Shows in Gippsland, Victoria, Justin’s Blue Cheeses won “First Prize” and “People’s Choice”, and he was awarded a Gold Medal for Washed Rind Cheese at the 2004 Australian Specialist Cheesemakers Association (ASCA) Awards.
Off to Market
But while Justin has great bragging credentials he is not one to rest in the spotlight.
Each week he hits the local farmers markets at Byron Bay and Bangalow selling his wares while local cooking schools call on his services to teach cheese making.
“I also do private work in homes teaching how to make homemade cheeses,” he said.
While Justin was the first of the new breed of cheese makers to establish himself in the Northern Rivers he is now not alone. “There are a few other cheese makers sprinkled over the Northern Rivers who have bandied together to form the Northern Rivers Cheese Board,” Justin adds with a smile.
Where To Buy
Bangalow Cheese Co cheeses are available weekly at the Byron Bay Farmers’ Market held at Butler St Reserve, Byron Bay, and every Thursday from 8am to 11am, and at Bangalow (behind the pub) every Saturday from 8am to 11am.
The Cheeses
Bangalow Cheese Co produces fine hand made cheese in farmhouse styles. Justin believes in creating a natural product, free from stabilisers, preservatives and standardisation of the milk. The aim is to create cheeses with real flavour – seasonal variations are encouraged, as are subtle variations from batch to batch!
Coorabell :A delightfully mild and creamy spreadable cheese that is very versatile. Great on toast, or toss some through a warm potato salad. Available marinated in an extra virgin olive oil blend with a hint of garlic, pepper and fresh herbs.
Federal Fetta: Based on the traditional brined fetta, this cheese is firm yet creamy and salty yet not too salty. Crumbles beautifully into a salad, or onto pizza, or why not bake your own Federal Fetta and olive bread? Available in brine, or marinated in extra virgin olive oil blended with a hint of garlic, pepper and fresh herbs.
Wilsons Creek: White A Camembert style cheese, it has a thick white cover and a chalky centre when young. As it ripens, the texture becomes suppler whilst the rind can begin to develop colourings of orange through pink.
Brooklet Brie: With a sweet and milky character, the ripe “Brooklet” displays a soft and smooth texture and is often speckled by orange/red through to brown markings.
Tintenbar Triple Cream:An indulgent treat . . . this white moulded cheese with pure cream added during its creation, displays a deliciously buttery, mushroomy character.
Byron Bay Blue Bangalow Cheese Co.'s award winning signature cheese: This mild flavoured creamy blue cheese has a distinctively “blue” flavour with delicate and intricate undertones. A delightful tangy sweetness is displayed with a creamy full finish. Winner of the “Palatable Partners Cup for the Best Blue Vein Cheese” at the 2008 Brisbane Cheese Awards.Binna Burra Blue :A firmer texture and stronger “blue” flavour, this cheese melts on your tongue resulting in a wonderful mouth feel, coupled with peppery overtones and a sharp finish.
Nashua Washed Rind :With a distinctive orange rind, this is a true “stinky” cheese. Beneath the pungent and deceptive aroma of the rind lies a robust salty yet sweet flavour. Available in both a firmer less “intense” style, and also in a gooey “wild” version!
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