Five must visit Australian food factory tours
We all have to eat, right? But have you ever wondered where some of the food on shop shelves comes from, how it is made and processed and what it looked like originally?Fortunately, there are plenty of producers more than willing to fling open their factory doors and show visitors around. Here are five faves you can drive to and have a look – and definitely a taste!
Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee, NSW
There’s a real sense of fun and history at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Housed in a stately 1930s flour mill in Junee (not far from Wagga Wagga in central NSW), this all-organic confectionary producer opens its doors to visitors with regular tours running through the day. Not only can you see the chocolate and licorice being made and packaged and learn a bit of the mill’s history, but for a few dollars extra you can get hands-on and make your own chocolate freckle. Drop in, get a bit sticky and enjoy.
The Ginger Factory, Yandina, Queensland
If you go away from a tour of the Ginger Factory learning only one thing, it will be just how many uses there are for ginger! The Sunshine Coast factory precincts are almost a theme park dedicated to the processing of this tropical condiment used as a confectionary, spice and of course, drunk as ginger beer. The tour covers ginger growing, cooking, preserving and much more, and ends with lots of yummy tastings.
Pyengana Dairy, Tasmania
Life is typically pretty laid back in Tassie, and Pyengana Dairy is no exception with its lush farmland, happy cows and 130 years of cheese-making history. The dairy has its own café and shop so is a pleasant stopover between Launceston and the east coast and if you get there before early afternoon, they’re only too happy to show you their cheese-making skills in person. Pyengana cheddar is the specialty, made from non-homogenised “Real Milk” that you can also buy from the shop.
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery, Yarra Glen, Victoria
The Yarra Valley has to be one of the best day trips out of Melbourne and as well as the scores of wineries to visit, you can also drop into the Chocolaterie to see how chocolate is made. You can watch the chocolatiers melting, moulding and crafting lots of tasty sweeties, or join a chocolate masterclass to taste the different types, and even get hands-on and create your own Rocky Road.
Oyster Farm Tours, Coffin Bay, South Australia
Coffin Bay is arguably Australia’s best place for growing oysters and the good news is, you can join a farm tour and see how these slippery but tasty morsels are grown. Okay, it’s a long way out to the tip of the Eyre Peninsula from Adelaide, but oyster fans will be decked out in waders, taken out to the oyster beds and the semi-submerged salt-water pavilion and given the full oyster works. There’s history, an explanation of oyster-culture, how to shuck them and of course, plenty of slurping straight out of the shell.
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