General News
10 June, 2026
Leading the whey
JULIAN and Dianne Benson of Apostle Whey Cheese in Cooriemungle recently won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Victorian Small Business Awards.
Since 2005, Apostle Whey Cheese has been selling artisan cheeses from their farmgate property, which they began after over 30 years owning a dairy farm which Mr Benson started in 1972.
They have expanded to include milk, gelato and gin as part of their gourmet experience just 15 minutes from the 12 Apostles.
Mr Benson said he was surprised by the invitation to attend the awards.
“It was very interesting but it was a bit of a shock really,” he said.
“It was nice to be recognised like that.
“I think it was all about the fact that I first went farming in 1972.
“As a kid that’s all I ever really wanted to do.
“I never ever thought I’d get into something like we’re doing now with the cheeses and all that sort of stuff.”
Mr Benson said what began as a foray into cheeses soon developed into something more.
“We started off with cheese then got into milk then gelato and only in the last couple of years we were approached by a distiller who wanted to know what we did with our whey,” he said.
“We said we put it in a trough and the cows drink it.
“He said let’s say we turn it into alcohol and I said that sounds good.
“It’s what they call a circular economy, whereby you use the by-product to make value of.”
The Bensons came into Cooriemungle in 1981 and Mr Benson said they faced a drought in 1982 but decided to milk more cows despite the drought.
“At this stage we were milking 350 cows,” he said.
“Milk prices were ordinary and grain prices were high and we built a rotary dairy in 1996, it’s 30 years old this year, with the idea if we bought more land, we’d have a big enough dairy.
“Going through that drought, you’d think, why would you want to milk more cows?
“We ended up doing a cheesemaking course because it’s no good doing something if you’re not going to enjoy it or not like it.
“We started making cheeses in 2005.”
Mr Benson said it was all about trying new things and taking advantage of the environment.
“Things change all the time and you’ve got to be adaptive and be prepared to act on it,” he said.
“We just took advantage of the fact that we were on this main road going down to the 12 Apostles – it’s only 18 kilometres away.
“And that’s where we got our name from, Apostle Whey Cheese, because we’re on the way to the 12 Apostles.
“I think the world is too bloody serious and it’s good to have a bit of humour.
“All I ever wanted to do was be a dairy farmer – I never thought I would get into this.”
Mr Benson said he was a first-generation farmer, having hailed from Melbourne and following in his uncle’s footsteps.
“I was very fortunate to have an uncle who was a farmer and I used to go there for my summer holidays and I fell in love with it,” he said.
“I never thought I’d end up here.
“To then diversify into something else and take advantage of what was available, I think that’s been pretty special.
“With what we’re doing now, I think we’re very fortunate that our youngest son Luke has actually taken the farm on.
“Ever since he was a little tacker you could see he was very keen.”
Apostle Whey Cheese has won several awards over the years, which Mr Benson said was thanks to the great staff.
“I’m very fortunate I have good stable employees for quite some time,” he said.
“It’s been a great journey and I can’t be happier with what we’ve achieved.
“I’ve got a little bit more to do.
“One thing I’m doing at the moment is I am actually looking at putting in tiny houses.
“Being so close to the 12 Apostles, I reckon it would be a good venture for us.”
Mr Benson said overall, the journey had been fruitful, and he was happy with how far they had come.
“I’m trying to educate people out there who haven’t got much idea of what farming is about,” he said.
“It’s good to see people go away thinking, how simple is that.
“I’m really happy with the journey I’ve taken.
“We’re all different, especially farming, but all you want to be at the end of the day is happy.”
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