The Traveller's Table: The Atherton Tablelands

It’s been a long time coming I know, but there is no way I could forget the Atherton Tablelands. With rolling green hills, farmland, fresh produce and gourmet food.... of course this is the favourite place we have visited so far!

Having packed up early at Koombaloomba Dam we had plenty of daylight ahead of us to explore. Mungali Creek Dairy! Mungali Creek is an organic dairy and from all the advertising and signs we had seen I was looking forward to tasting an array of unique cheeses but instead I was extremely disappointed. Just a small country shop, you would miss it if you blinked. Expecting more inside we were eventually offered a taste of 2 cheeses and 2 yoghurts... that’s it! Not quite satisfied and looking for some lunch we decided to share a farmer’s plate of bread, cheeses and chutney. Once again disappointing.... a small plate to share, mostly salad greens, 2 small blobs of cheese and some chutney. I must say though, as disappointing this visit was.. The chutney... amazing, but surprise surprise, they had run out and I couldn’t buy any. So back in the car, still hungry and craving more cheese we were back on the road and heading to Gallo Dairyland!

Stopping in at the Tarzali smokehouse we picked up some Crocodile jerky. I must say I’m not a fan, Ben didn’t mind it though. I have enjoyed fresh croc before but the jerky has a funny leather like texture. So still not satisfied.... on to Gallo Dairyland.

Wow, Wow and Wow! Gallo Dairyland could definitely earn the title of Gallo Wonderland! Walking into the modern facility I had entered heaven. Ben had no idea what he was in for. To my right was a large cabinet full of cheese, including 13 of their own. Another cabinet with a selection of yoghurts, another with gelato. Then like I was drawn to a radiant bright light... another cabinet... full of delicate chocolates made onsite by their local choclatier.

Looking through a large glass window we watched the melted chocolate flowing through the fountains, then on to the cheese makers room where you can view the local cheeses being made. Unfortunately for us the cheesemaker and chocolatier had finished for the day when we arrived, but there workplace was just as interesting.

Still hungry for some lunch we returned to the cafe, tasted an array of cheese and ordered our cheese plate. Yum Yum Yum, this is what I had been expecting all morning and you’ll see from Ben’s pic that we thoroughly enjoyed it! It’s not all about food though, I learnt alot of interesting facts while I was indulging on that cheese plate.

Did you know that Gallo Dairyland milk approx 500 cows TWICE a day. Each cow produces approx 20 litres of milk a day, and it takes 5.5 litres of water to produce 1 litre of milk! To my calculation, that means each cow must consume approx 110 litres of water a day and Gallo Dairyland produce approx 10,000 litres of milk a day! Wow.

Purchasing some chocolates for the road (Ben didn’t take very nicely to the chilli chocolate) we headed outside to watch the modern day milking of the cows. I truly never wanted to leave this place and encourage everyone to visit. As it promises on their website “a visit to Gallo Dairyland is not only informative, it is fascinating and tasty”.

Although I could ramble on about Gallo Dairyland for hours Ben did eventually drag me away. Somehow I couldn’t convince him to set up the camper in their car park? We hit the road and pulled up at Granite Gorge Caravan Park, 12km west of Mareeba, for the night.

I wish I could be as enthusiastic about Granite Gorge Caravan Park as I was about Gallo but I can’t. I wouldn’t recommend it as a place to camp, beautiful but poorly managed and expensive for the basic facilities.

Atherton Tablelands – Fantastic, Beautiful, Interesting, Tasty. Can’t wait to go back!

P.S We also stopped at the curtain fig tree, amazing!