Daniel Hayes had a dream of value adding to his herd’s milk production by making cheese. Page 3.
BY SARAH O'BRIEN
SPRING CALVING has arrived, bringing a flurry of activity with it.
It’s all hands on deck, and in our farm business that means kids and all.
It’s a proud moment watching them feed calves, wind up fence breaks, milk and drove.
I feel like I’ve done myself out of a job some days, but it does make my heart swell to see the interest and connection our kids have with dairy.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Gippsland Young Dairy network LAC, an inspiring group of young leaders coordinating remarkable programs for their peers with GippsDairy’s assistance.
It was clear how fortunate Gippsland is to have such dedicated and inspirational young farmers and service providers, all eager to make a difference in our region through connection.
The leadership opportunities and networks provided to them through GippsDairy have been a key focus for the board.
I hear that preparations for the YDN Christmas break-up are well under way and shouldn’t be missed on Sunday, November 23 in Mirboo North.
If you have a young person working in your business or a service provider as part of your
farm support team, please encourage them to connect in. Building networks and learning from our peers is always a game changer.
The Gippsland Dairy Industry Strategic plan is now complete, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Gippsland Dairy Industry Leadership Group (GDILG), RM Consulting Group, Gardiner Foundation, Regional Development Victoria, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and GippsDairy.
The plan is now available to guide future funding and investment opportunities into our region.
Matt Gleeson, the current chair of GDILG
and dairy farmer from Boolarra, has done an exceptional job representing Gippsland.
Through GDILG’s networks, they have also been instrumental in helping both government and industry understand the recent impacts of the drought in Gippsland.
The team of GippsDairy have been very active reaching out to farmers during this time. Please get in contact if you require support, the team are available to you.
There are many pressures and decisions farmers face on a daily basis.
This season could be one of the most challenging in some parts of Gippsland.
Commodity prices and moisture availability have been testing, and may continue to be. The need to plan early is critical.
Reach out to your trusted supports early to secure a plan backed by the critical numbers of your business.
Agriculture Victoria has grants open that will help fund a consultant to come in and work the numbers with you and plan ahead. Go to: https://agriculture.vic.gov. au/farm-management/drought-support/ technical-decision-making-support
With a very healthy milk price, setting the season up from the outset puts you and your business in the driver’s seat.
Enjoy springtime — I hope moisture and sun aligns for a great season ahead.
– Sarah O’Brien is the GippsDairy chair.
We’re proud to support Gippsland dairy farmers with feed solutions built to perform.
Come see us at the South Gippsland Dairy Expo, 3–4 September, at Stand 11 to find out how Barastoc feed can support your herd’s productivity. Visit www.ridley.com.au or get in touch
BY JEANETTE SEVERS
DANIEL AND Chelsie Hales have created a paddock-to-plate experience for their customers, value adding their milk to handcraft a range of single origin cheeses.
It is three years since Daniel and Chelsie purchased the boutique award-winning cheese processing company, Prom Country Cheese, at Moyarra, to pursue his dream of value adding to their herd’s milk production.
In that time, Daniel has increased cheese production from seven to 11 tonnes, using milk from his own herd.
Daniel and his workforce shape their cheeses using the certified organic milk from the Hales family farm, Glen Moidart, at Lance Creek, in South Gippsland.
They have created a paddock-to-plate experience for their single origin product.
“I like to know we’re in control of the supply chain, from soil health, to growing grass, to crafting and packaging the cheese product,” Daniel said.
Daniel is the fifth generation of his family to work on the 214 hectare dryland dairy farm, set in undulating hills.
The idea of value adding to their milk production came after Daniel and Chelsie and his parents, Paul and Carolyn, undertook a succession planning process.
Paul and Carolyn benefited from his parents transferring the farm’s ownership to them in 1994. So they were receptive to hearing Daniel’s and Chelsie’s plans, which encompassed considerable change.
Daniel said the risk of changing was no risk in comparison to continuing to farm in the current dairy industry climate.
Transition saw Daniel and Chelsie move the herd from twice-a-day to once-a-day milking and retain the 12-a-side herringbone dairy.
They switched the mixed Ayrshire, Jersey, Friesian and crossbred cows to calving once a year.
And the couple went through the change process to seek organic accreditation for the farm and their cows’ milk.
The initial changes of once-a-day milking and seasonal calving took pressure off the paddocks during winter, when most pasture degradation was occurring.
Daniel is committed to ensuring his herd produces certified organic milk by eating a
100 per cent pasture-based diet.
“We always try to build components in our milk. Our cows produce milk with 4.8 per cent fat and 3.9 per cent protein,” he said.
He and his father, Paul, brew up fertiliser that is spread across the paddocks, supporting the organic accreditation for the farm.
In a closed loop system, pumpkins grown on the property, hay, manure, waste silage and vegetable scraps are used to create the liquid fertiliser.
All fodder is grown on the property. Pasture hay and silage are harvested annually, and a multi-species summer crop is grown for strip grazing.
The cattle are protected by remnant bushland and the planting of generous areas of shelter trees.
In the past couple of years, the milking herd size has grown by 10 cows to 140 head; and the top 25 cows are used to breed replacements.
The rest of the milking herd is joined to produce beef-dairy progeny, with the option of selling them as calves or, in better seasons, growing them out. It is a seasonal option for further value adding to the farm’s production.
The farm is only a short distance by road from the processing factory at Moyarra.
The milk travels daily to the factory, for processing to make a range of cheeses by hand.
“We use about 20 per cent of our milk to make our cheeses,” Daniel said.
“The balance of our milk production goes to Pure Harvest.”
He turns about 70,000 litres of milk into cheese.
“In the next 12 months, we’ll be using more milk for cheesemaking, as we grow to producing 14 tonnes of cheese.”
Cheese is sold to supermarkets and wineries in Gippsland, to Melbourne cheesemongers, and to specialty grocers in Melbourne and Tasmania.
This year, Daniel and Katie Thomas brought the Prom Country Cheese range direct to customers for paddock-to-plate tasting experiences, as part of the Food Hall at Farm World field days, held at Lardner Park.
From 7 tonnes to doubling production is rapid growth for three years of ownership, and fulfils the business plan Daniel developed when he purchased Prom Country Cheese in 2022.
At the time, he replicated traditional
offerings, which are still part of the menu — but always using his certified organic cows’ milk.
These cheeses are a mix of soft, blue, marinated, hard and semi-hard cheeses. He also uses vegetarian rennet in some of his cheeses.
Prom Country Cheese is also certified to produce raw cow’s milk cheese, making it a unique business in Victoria.
With an eye to further value adding, Daniel has also experimented and produced quark, a fresh curd that can be used in baking,
a dip or stirred through pasta.
Our dairy industry is characterised by ‘Remarkable People’ quietly achieve incredible outcomes. Join us to hear about the incredible journeys of Russell Follett, David Penny Conn - large-scale dairy and beef farmers across multiple states; Peter Notman - a seed merchant and dairy farmer; Colin Wright respected rural accountant and John Versteden - a dairy farmer and industry stalwart. Discover the impactful contributions they have made to our dairy industry.
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear gumboots… and
DIAA Gippsland Networking Lunch 2025 Where to from here?
11:30am to 1pm - Thursday 4th September Showgrounds Football Clubrooms
Gippsland is Australia’s powerhouse dairy region!
• Panel Chat: Where to from here?
• Hear from dairy farmers, workers & processors about what’s next for our industry
• Cheese & Dairy tasting Showcase from local factories
• Dairy-fuelled lunch
• Gumboot Footrace - post-lunch bragging rights up for grabs!
$30 DIAA Members | $50 Non-Members
Includes access to the Dairy Expo from 10am Book now: diaa.asn.au/events
• Australian Family owned business
• Trusted Performance since 1984
• Supporting profitable and sustainable dairy farming
• Visit our website www.dairyaustralia.com.au/gippsdairy
• Your one-stop-shop for grain and pellet silos, stock-feeders, augers and bins in Gippsland and beyond - design, manufacturing, repair, and transportation services included
• Benic calf trailer agent and manufacturer
• Specialist dairy farm insurance brokers
• Helping farmers secure smarter, more tailored insurance outcomes
• Fuels, Lubricants & Ad Blue
• Farm, industrial & retail
• Locally owned and operated
• www.evanspetroleum.com.au
• ProDairy; we’ve got you covered
• Designed for Dairy Farmers, Delivered by Dairy Vets
• Founded by farmers for farmers
• Proud supporters of Gippsland’s thriving dairy industry
• nbn Local’s purpose is to lift digital capability at a local level, facilitate positive customer experience outcomes and create shared economic and social benefits for rural and regional Australians
• Your local John Deere equipment specialists
• Elevating your operation with unwavering support, superior machines, unparalleled service and a dedicated team
• Greenmate Ag are soil regeneration specialists. Let us help you drive production and quality through high end testing methods such as DNA soil microbe functionality tests and industry leading products
• Over 140 years of innovation to help you get the best performance out of your farm
• Trusted by over 200 farms in Gippsland
• For over 30 years Burra Foods has represented quality and innovation in the dairy market
• Committed to investing in Gippsland’s future
• A family owned and operated transport company since 1996 specialising in bulk milk haulage from farm to factory
• Reliable and e cient milk haulage across NSW, QLD, VIC & WA
• The most versatile sprayer in the world
• Apply all your fertiliser in one pass
• 4 dedicated local GEA dealerships with over a combined 60 years of experience in servicing milking systems to over 600 local farms in Gippsland
• O ering AMS, CMS, Manure management, Herd management and Farming Components
• Gippsland’s specialists in dairy automation, supporting 70 local farms with Lely systems
• Automatic milking systems, calf feeders, feed pushers, manure collectors and more
• Australian wide suppliers of Dairy E uent equipment
• Well known brands including; Yardmaster, Bauer, Williams & Yardblaster
• A leading dairy processor in Australia
• High quality dairy products for domestic & international markets
• Your farm deserves Australia’s leading dairy automation systems proudly backed by the team who designs and builds it
• Over 20 Years of great products and exceptional service
THE STRZELECKI Lions Club will host the South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo in Korumburra on September 3 and 4.
This year marks the 26th anniversary of the expo, dedicated to showcasing the latest innovations, products and services available to the dairy industry.
Farming seminars are a highlight of the expo, and this year Matt Harms from ONFARM Consulting will host the feature session on Wednesday, September 3 at 11am titled ‘Behind every great glass of milk is someone remarkable: Not all heroes wear capes, some wear
gumboots’.
Hear about the incredible journeys of Russell Follett, David and Penny Conn, who are largescale dairy and beef farmers across multiple states; Peter Notman, a seed merchant and dairy farmer; Colin Wright, a respected rural accountant; and John Versteden, a dairy farmer and industry stalwart.
The session is sponsored by South Gippsland Shire Council, and will be followed by the Gippsland Dairy Industry Leadership Group launching its newly completed Gippsland Dairy Industry Strategy.
• Buying ALL types of cattle for export and local trade
• Payment on the day
• Animal husbandry and all-round advice
• Extra money for empty cows
• Over 50 years experience
TRADING HOURS
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 9am to 3pm.
Chris Cameron - 0418 512 503
Jodie Foster - 0437 004 566
Carriers: Daniel Bramstedt - 0400 325 181 Danny Payne - 0408 344 194 OR USE YOUR OWN CARRIER OR TRAILER
Another important event is the Dairy Industry Association of Australia’s Gippsland Networking Lunch on Thursday, September 4, from 11.30am to 1pm. Visit: https://diaa.asn. au/events
Farmers can also join a two-hour tour of Mt Lyall Dairies, the Lancey family’s farm in Nyora, which is home to a new 100-stand rotary dairy and loafing barn.
Farmers attending the expo can register their interest in the complimentary bus departing on Wednesday, September 3 at 2.30pm. Alternatively, on-farm parking will be available at the Lancey farm.
To register your interest in attending. book
at: https://www.trybooking.com/events/ landing/1431647
Other popular events set to return are the Udder Truth Show Bag Competition and the Gumboot Gift.
The South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo is on September 3 and 4 at the Korumburra Showgrounds, from 10am to 3pm daily. Cost is $15,children under 16 enter for free.
For more information, phone Deanne Kennedy on 0419 878 055 or email: dairyexpo@ jaydee.net.au
For an extended story, go to: https://www. dairynewsaustralia.com.au/
PO Box 790, Warragul Vic. 3820 Office: (03) 5626 8500 • Fax: (03) 5626 8322 Web: www.gfl.net.au • Email: chris@gfl.net.au
Wednesday 3rd September | 3pm - 5pm
Finish your Expo Day with a cutting-edge farm visit. Take a rare opportunity to step behind the scenes of one of Gippsland’s most talked-about dairy operations!
Join us for a concise two-hour tour of the Lancey family’s farm in Nyora — home to a brand new 100-stand rotary dairy and loafing barn that has locals saying, “you can see it from Mars.”
Attendees will also enjoy a live drone demonstration on the farm. It’s a must-see tour for anyone interested in modern dairy infrastructure, efficiency, and innovation. For farmers attending the South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo, we invite you to register your interest in the complimentary bus departing on Wednesday, September 3rd at 2.30pm. Alternatively, on-farm parking will be available.
Join us for an afternoon of networking, complemented by a delightful afternoon tea provided by our Platinum Sponsor, Westpac, and Gold Sponsors GEA, Westfalia Warragul and Worker Bee Drones.
Bookings are essential, so reserve your spot now at www.trybooking.com/DDLVJ Be sure to save this link for further program updates.
South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo
Gift
BY JEANETTE SEVERS
JASMINE KNEEBONE is the farm manager at the irrigated Macalister Demonstration Farm in Gippsland. If the traditional pathway to managing a dairy farm is growing up on one, Jasmine has taken a more varied path.
Jasmine didn’t grow up on a dairy farm, although she is passionate about working in the industry.
When she was at school, girls were encouraged to participate in work experience at the local supermarket or a hairdressing business.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn’t want to work in a supermarket or as a hairdresser,” Jasmine said.
Jasmine grew up at Whorouly, Victoria, and her parents’ house was next door to the Ovensdale Illawarra Stud owned by Robert and Maree Newton.
“So, naturally, I went next door to the neighbour’s farm and did work experience through school,” Jasmine said. “That’s where it started for me.”
She learned how to milk cows, feed calves, and helped feed hay to the herd.
Jasmine left school three months after the work experience placement and moved to Corowa to take up a dairy farming apprenticeship.
She was 17 years old and spent three
years on the dairy farm at Corowa. She moved to Gippsland and worked for a couple more years on another dairy farm, at Giffard.
Then, as happens, life changed and it was several years later and now with two children, that Jasmine returned to working in the dairy industry, as a relief milker.
She then found herself relief milking on three farms, under three separate ownerships.
“I had school-aged children, and I was juggling working on three farms with a gardening job and cleaning work,” Jasmine said.
“Then someone told me the manager at the demonstration farm was looking for a farmhand, so I rang him up, got an interview and that’s how I came here.”
She progressed from farmhand to assistant farm manager at the Macalister Demonstration Farm.
Her work included milking and setting the fences up for the cows to graze new pasture. She was responsible for training and managing relief milkers.
Jasmine’s own training has included Cups On Cups Off, artificial insemination technician, the downer cow course, and farm financial management courses. She is also a Don Campbell scholar.
“The experience that has really made a difference to me was the My Farm My Plan course,” she said.
“When I did it, I was the assistant manager at the demonstration farm, and I felt like I’d hit the ceiling and couldn’t see how I could go further in the industry.
“I nearly got out of the dairy industry because I thought, ‘I can’t go any further’.
“Honestly, I thought my goals were impossible.
“But through doing the course, I knew I could step up to farm management and achieve my goals.
“I was able to make some hard decisions and had a better idea of what I needed to do to get to where I wanted to be.”
Jasmine worked in the assistant manager’s role for several years before recognising she had gone as far as she could on the demonstration farm, unless the farm manager’s role became available.
She moved on to another commercial dairy farm, where she worked for a few more years.
When the farm manager role at the demonstration irrigation farm became vacant, Jasmine asked the board of management to consider her. She has now been in that role for two years.
Jasmine is still enjoying the role of farm manager.
She has responsibility for day-to-day decision making, with the board members responsible for strategic decisions. They all meet monthly.
“My role is similar to one if the farm was privately owned and the owner employed a farm manager.
“I manage the dairy herd. I’m responsible for pasture management and fertiliser application. I oversee the farm worker who’s responsible for feeding calves.
“I also manage relief milkers, when we have them. I’m responsible for training people into their roles on the farm.
“We’ve also got a lease block with young cattle that I have to visit regularly.”
Read the full story at: https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/news/taking-a-roadless-travelled/
Are you aged 18-40 and working in dairy? Apply now for the 2026 Don Campbell Memorial Tour – a six-day, five-night trip visiting Northern Tasmania’s dairy industry.
• Visit top dairy farms.
• Grow personally through a practical development experience.
• Build networks and leadership skills.
Held in February, this tour honours the legacy of GippsDairy’s first Chair, Don Campbell, and supports the next generation in dairy. While all eligible applicants are welcome, preference will be given to those from the Gippsland region.
Apply now – applications close 30 September 2025. Scan the QR code to apply
Or contact Jessica Russell at jessica.russell@gippsdairy.com.au
