Maleny Dairies Tour
A Maleny dairies tour is great way for your Children to understand where their milk, and other dairy products come from.
For the adults it’s an opportunity to learn what it takes to survive and thrive in today’s cut-throat dairy industry.
Maleny Dairies is a family owned and operated Dairy run by Ross & Sally Hopper.
The Hopper family purchased its land in the hills of Maleny back in 1948. They initially produced only cream. But, their cows thrived on the abundant pastures and became prolific milk producers.
World Champion Dairy cow
One favourite Guernsey cow was called “Belladonna”. She went on to become a world record holder. Somehow she produced a staggering 70.5 litres of milk in a single day. The average for a good cow is 15 litres.
Life changed for the Hopper family in the year 2000 when the Australian Diary industry was deregulated.
What followed for most dairy farmers was a dramatic fall in the price they received for their milk.
Thousands of farms around the country closed.
maleny Dairy builds Processing Plant
Rather than settle for the same fate, the family decided to go all in by building it’s own processing and bottling operation.
Getting the Maleny Dairy plant up and running took a sustained effort from the broader Hopper family. Members who committed money, time and labour to the push are individually acknowledged on the Dairy’s website.
Once open, the Maleny Dairies brand received solid support from the local community. Most importantly, Rob & Sam Outridge who operated the Maleny IGA got on board.
As demand grew, the Maleny dairy was able to reach out to other surviving local Dairy farmers with a lifeline.
A better deal for Maleny Farmers
Operating their own independent plant brought one important benefit. The Hopper family was able to offer farmers a much higher price per litre for their milk. This higher price has been instrumental in keeping local farmers viable, and allowed them continue to invest in their herds.
Maleny Dairies continues to process milk from farmers around the region. But, for their own herd they have remained committed to their Guernsey cows.
The family believes that milk from these cows is the richest, and best tasting available.
Milk from the Guernsey cows is marketed under the Farmers Choice brand and bottled with the distinctive Gold cap. The result is a multiple award winning milk, which is as close to raw, natural milk as can be legally sold.
Maleny Dairies are proud of their reputation for producing Real Milk, with no additives and without any of the natural goodness removed. Their extensive range of products even includes a Lactose Free full cream milk, along with Real Cream, Yogurt and Custard.
Take a Maleny Dairies Tour
Tours are conducted from Monday through Saturday.
From Monday to Friday tours commence at 10am, 11.30am and 2pm. On Saturdays and Public holidays the schedule changes to 9am, 10am, 11.30am as well as 1pm and 2pm.
Places on the tours must be booked in advance.
Adult tickets are $18, children (3-14) are $15 and $65 gets a family pass for 2 Adults and 3 Children. Children under 3 years are free.
If you take the 10am tour you will see the pregnant cows being fed, whilst the 2pm tour includes the herd being milked.
Overall, the Tour shows you how the processing plant and the farm work. Each tour takes about an hour and a half to complete.
To the delight of all concerned, the Tour includes a visit to the nursery where the young calves can be patted and bottle fed.
During the tour, your guide will provide a brief history of Maleny Dairies and the reason it was built.
Milk a cow on the Maleny dairies Tour
The children will meet one of the specially selected cows, and have a lesson in hand milking. Kids love this!
If your kids think that “milk comes from a bottle or a carton” this will take care of it for you. Of course, participation is voluntary, and the shy kids can simply watch.
Next you see where the cows are actually milked each day.
The process is explained and as mentioned before, if you are on the 2pm Tour you will see the process in action as the herd is milked.
Its amazing to watch as the cows file in, get milked and file out again, all with a minimum of human direction.
From the Milking area you move to the factory.
Tour Maleny Dairies Processing Plant
In the processing plant, you get to see see the Milk and Yogurt being processed, including bottling and packaging. The health and safety rules are explained and you will see how the various areas are isolated, and why.
Next make a stop at the product store and cold rooms.
There is a 10 minute recorded presentation explaining the process of milk production (in case you didn’t see it live). This also introduces the Hopper family, and the treasured Guernsey cows.
To finish off the tour, move through to the tasting room and enjoy the flavoured milks, yogurts and the smooth rich Custard.
You can also purchase some of the freshly made products onsite as you leave.
In all, the Maleny Dairies Tour is a relaxed, enjoyable, and highly educational event.
Conducted by the Dairy’s own staff it is well worth the drive from Brisbane or an easy choice to fill in a couple of hours if you are already visiting Maleny.
Enquiries about the Maleny Dairies Tour can be made on (07) 5494 3746 and bookings are handled online here.
