New Zealand Cheese Trail: 14 Stops, Which Are Still Open

New Zealand Cheese Trail: A Complete Guide to All 14 Stops

The New Zealand cheese trail at a glance

“Check first” means recent visitor information is limited, so phone ahead. Hours and tours change, so always confirm before you drive out.

What is the New Zealand cheese trail?

Until the 1920s, small cheese factories dotted the country, because milk couldn’t travel far before it spoiled. In recent decades, artisan makers have revived that tradition. Many of them are farmers, and many run farm shops where you can taste before you buy.

The New Zealand cheese trail map picks out 14 of these producers. Together they show off the range of New Zealand artisan cheese, from goat’s milk chèvre and Italian mozzarella to Dutch Gouda, English-style farmhouse cheese and sheep’s milk feta.

Sadly, small producers have struggled. The head of the Specialty Cheesemakers Association has warned that it is increasingly expensive to be small, and several makers have closed in recent years. That is why a quick check before you go is worthwhile.

North Island cheese trail: stops 1 to 8

The North Island cheese trail runs from Northland down to the Wairarapa. Four of its eight stops have closed, but the open ones are well worth the detour for New Zealand artisan cheese.

1. Mahoe Cheese, Kerikeri (open)

Mahoe is a family-run dairy farm and cheesery on State Highway 10 at Pakaraka, near Kerikeri. Anna and Bob Rosevear started it in 1986, and their sons now run it. Jake and Jesse make the cheese, and their brother Tim looks after a herd of about 60 cows.

The cheeses follow the Dutch tradition for Gouda and Edam. Look for Mahoe Very Old Edam, matured for at least 10 months, and Mahoe Blue, which won the Champion Blue Cheese award in 2020. The farm shop is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm and Saturday 8:30am to 3:30pm, according to the cheesery. Phone +64 9 405 9681 to confirm, and visit the Mahoe Cheese website for details. See also our guide to Northland and the Bay of Islands.

2. Grinning Gecko, Whangārei (closed)

Grinning Gecko made award-winning soft cheeses such as brie, camembert and the washed-rind Kau Piro. The Whangārei company stopped producing cheese in early 2023, and its website is no longer live. Older maps still list it, so don’t plan a detour. For Northland cheese, head to Mahoe instead.

3. Crescent Dairy Goats, Taupaki (check first)

Jan and John Walter make goat’s milk cheese on a small farm at 177A Taupaki Road, in the Kumeu area northwest of Auckland. Their cheeses have won medals for many years. Past favorites include Farmhouse Sting, a soft cheese marbled with nettle leaves, and Old Gold, a crumbly aged cheese.

Earlier visitor guides describe a farm shop and small-group farm tours, but we couldn’t find current information. Phone (09) 412 2074 before you go.

4. Il Casaro, North Shore, Auckland (open)

Il Casaro means “the cheesemaker.” Massimiliano De Caro comes from Gioia del Colle, a mozzarella town in Puglia, Italy, and he makes Italian-style cheese from New Zealand milk. The range includes fresh mozzarella, burrata, ricotta, aged provolone, caciocavallo and cacioricotta.

The shop is at Unit 1, 27 Ashfield Road, Wairau Valley. Listings show it open most weekdays (closed Wednesday) and on Saturday mornings, so phone 09 442 5419 to confirm, or check the Il Casaro website. Explore more in Auckland.

5. Over the Moon Dairy, Putaruru (open)

Over the Moon Dairy sits beside State Highway 1 in the South Waikato. Founder Sue Arthur started it in 2007, and it now makes one of the widest ranges of specialty cheese in the country, from cow, goat, sheep and buffalo milk. It has won more than 120 medals and trophies.

You can taste cheese for free in the cheese room, watch the cheesemakers through the factory window, and visit the deli. The factory also runs a Talk & Taste tour on Fridays (from NZ$10 per person, minimum eight) and DIY cheesemaking workshops by arrangement. The factory is at 33 Tirau Street; phone +64 7 883 8238. The Over the Moon Dairy website lists slightly different hours on different pages, so call ahead. Browse Waikato and Waitomo, Rotorua and Taupō for nearby ideas.

6. Lonely Goat, Whanganui (check first)

Rae and Brian Doughty started Lonely Goat in 2010 on their farm at Brunswick, about 15 km north of Whanganui. Rae makes small batches of goat’s milk cheese, including feta, halloumi and camembert-style cheeses. Her Fiery Feta and marinated feta have won medals.

Output is small, and past reports say the cheese is sold mainly at the Whanganui River Traders Market on Saturday mornings and at local delis. We couldn’t confirm current trading, so check before you plan around it. See Whanganui and Manawatu for the region.

7. Cartwheel Creamery, Ashhurst (closed)

Adrian and Jill Walcroft set up Cartwheel Creamery in the Pohangina Valley near Ashhurst in 2011. Their cheeses, including the washed-rind Doe Rei Mi, won a following and awards. After the death of cheesemaker Adrian, the creamery no longer operates.

8. Cwmglyn, Eketahuna (closed)

Cwmglyn was the farm of Biddy Fraser-Davies, who made a traditional raw-milk farmhouse cheese from just four cows. Her cheese won a super gold award at the World Cheese Awards in London in 2014, and she campaigned for fairer rules for small raw-milk makers. Biddy died in July 2018, and cheesemaking at Cwmglyn ended. The farm no longer makes cheese.

South Island cheese trail: stops 9 to 14

The South Island cheese trail has three excellent open stops for New Zealand artisan cheese along the east coast, which makes it easy to drive in one trip.

9. Kaikōura Cheese, Kaikōura (closed)

Kaikōura Cheese is among the small producers reported closed in recent years. It is still a great food stop, though. Try fresh crayfish from the roadside stalls and cafés, and browse our Kaikōura guide.

10. Canterbury Cheesemongers, Christchurch (check first)

Canterbury Cheesemongers is a cheese shop rather than a cheesemaker. Sarah and Martin Aspinwall began selling cheese from the back of a van at Christchurch markets in 2000. They opened their first shop in 2002, rebuilt after the 2010 earthquake destroyed it, and later moved into the Arts Centre.

Listings now suggest the Arts Centre shop has closed. They show a Saturday market stall and a Ferrymead store open on Wednesdays and Fridays, but we couldn’t confirm this. Check the shop’s website and phone before you visit. See Christchurch and Canterbury.

11. Barrys Bay Cheese, Akaroa (open)

Barrys Bay Cheese has made cheese on Banks Peninsula since 1895, and it is the last of nine small cooperatives that once dotted the peninsula. The factory sits at 5807 Christchurch-Akaroa Road, Duvauchelle, about 75 minutes from Christchurch on the way to Akaroa.

Its range includes traditional rinded cheddar, Havarti, Gouda and Peninsula Blue. A viewing window lets you watch cheesemaking, which runs from September to May. According to the company, the shop is open daily from 9am to 5pm and closes only on Christmas Day. See the Barrys Bay Cheese website for the latest details.

12. Whitestone Cheese, Oamaru (open)

Whitestone Cheese opened in 1987 in an old mechanic’s workshop in Oamaru, and it now makes around 25 kinds of cheese. Windsor Blue is among its best-known cheeses.

The Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli at 469 Thames Highway serves burgers, cheese rolls and milkshakes alongside the cheese. Guided factory tours include a talk, a tasting and a look through the viewing galleries, and you can upgrade to a cheese and wine matching. Book tours ahead. The diner is typically open Tuesday to Sunday, with limited Monday hours, so phone 0800 892 433 to confirm, or check the Whitestone Cheese website. Explore more in Dunedin and Otago.

13. Evansdale Cheese, Dunedin (open)

Evansdale Cheese began in 1977, when Colleen and Lesley Dennison turned the extra milk from their family’s single Jersey cow into cheese. It is still family-run. The factory shop is at 4 Duncan Avenue, Hawksbury Village, just off State Highway 1 near Waikouaiti, about 35 km north of Dunedin.

The shop is open seven days a week with shorter weekend hours, and it offers tastings. Look for the brie and smoked brie. Evansdale also sells at the Otago Farmers Market on Saturday mornings (8am to 12:30pm) beside the Dunedin Railway Station. Phone +64 3 465 8101 or see the Evansdale Cheese website to confirm hours.

14. Blue River Dairy, Invercargill (closed to visitors)

Blue River Dairy was New Zealand’s leading sheep milk specialist, and it once had a cafe at 111 Nith Street with free cheese tastings and sheep milk coffee. Recent visitor reports say the public cafe and cheese sales have ended, and the company now focuses on sheep milk powder. Don’t plan a stop here. See Southland for other things to do.

Cheese tours in New Zealand: which open stops offer tastings

Cheese tours in New Zealand range from a quick taste at a farm shop to a guided factory tour. Here is how the six New Zealand cheese factories you can visit compare:

How to plan a cheese trail road trip in New Zealand

The six open stops fall into two natural routes. Here is how to plan a cheese trail road trip in New Zealand. A self-drive tour or a rental car is the easiest way to follow either part of the New Zealand cheese trail. Read our guide to driving in New Zealand first, and use our route planner to map the legs.

North Island cheese trail route (Kerikeri to Putaruru):

1. Start at Mahoe Cheese in Kerikeri.
2. Drive about 3.5 to 4 hours to Auckland and visit Il Casaro.
3. Continue about 2 hours south to Over the Moon Dairy in Putaruru.
4. Carry on to Rotorua or Taupō.

South Island cheese trail route (Christchurch to Dunedin):

1. Start in Christchurch and drive about 75 minutes to Barrys Bay Cheese near Akaroa.
2. Head south on State Highway 1 to Oamaru, about 3 hours from Christchurch, for Whitestone Cheese.
3. Continue about an hour to Evansdale Cheese at Hawksbury Village.
4. Finish in Dunedin.

Planning tips:

• Call ahead. Small producers change their hours, and some tours need booking.
• Take a cool bag. Fresh cheeses need to stay cold, especially in summer.
• Time your visit. Barrys Bay makes cheese from September to May, so go in that window if you want to see it happen.
• Mind the rules. Check your airline and home country’s rules on bringing dairy products home.

Best time to follow the New Zealand cheese trail

You can visit the trail year-round, but spring to autumn (September to May) suits cheesemaking viewing and road trips best. Summer is busiest. See our guide to the best time to visit New Zealand for more detail.

Frequently asked questions

What is the New Zealand cheese trail?

It is a self-guided route linking artisan cheese producers across the North and South Islands. The New Zealand cheese trail map lists 14 stops, from Mahoe in Kerikeri to Blue River Dairy in Invercargill.

Is the New Zealand cheese trail map still accurate?

Not entirely. Of the 14 stops, five have closed or no longer welcome visitors: Grinning Gecko, Cartwheel Creamery, Cwmglyn, Kaikōura Cheese and Blue River Dairy. Check the status table above before you plan your New Zealand cheese trail.

Which New Zealand cheese factories can you visit?

The open stops are Mahoe Cheese, Il Casaro, Over the Moon Dairy, Barrys Bay Cheese, Whitestone Cheese and Evansdale Cheese. These are the New Zealand cheese factories you can visit with the most confidence.

What is the best stop for first-timers?

Over the Moon Dairy and Whitestone Cheese offer the most structured cheese tours in New Zealand, with tastings, factory viewing and guided tours. For a quick, friendly farm shop stop, try Mahoe or Evansdale.

Can you follow the cheese trail without a car?

It is difficult, because most stops are in rural areas. A rental car, motorhome or private tour is the best option. See our motorhome holidays and custom tours.

Can you take New Zealand cheese home?

Rules vary by country and airline, so check before you travel. Hard, vacuum-sealed cheeses are the most travel-friendly, but you should confirm with your airline and customs authority.

Plan your New Zealand cheese trail with us

Ready to follow the New Zealand cheese trail? We can build a route around the producers you most want to meet, with accommodation, transport and cheese tours in New Zealand included where they run. Browse our North Island tours, South Island tours or combined North and South Island tours.

For more food-focused travel, see our food and wine experiences, New Zealand wine tours and the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. Explore the best North Island attractions and best South Island attractions to fill the days between tastings.

To start planning, share your dates through our custom New Zealand tour form, or see more New Zealand itinerary ideas. Then pack a cool bag and an appetite for New Zealand artisan cheese.