Meet the family behind the cheese the Halden Family of Shaw River Buffalo Cheese

Farmer Friend - Haldane Family

Words like extraordinary and fascinating come to mind when you read just a little of the history of Haldane family of Shaw River Buffalo Cheese, words too like passion, perseverance and pioneering spirit!

The Haldane’s pioneered Australia’s tuna fishing industry, were the forerunners of Angora goat production, and were the driving force behind the alpaca industry here. These risk taking farming entrepreneurs also had the vision to import water buffalo from Europe in the mid 1990’s starting the first milking and buffalo cheese production in Australia.

“Mum and Dad (Roger and Sue Haldane), had the courage to bring Riverine buffalo from Italy to start making buffalo cheeses in Australia, nearly 20 years ago. The first Shaw River cheese was made in 1996, and the dream of being artisan cheese producers began.” Thea Royal (Haldane) says.

Roger and Sue Haldane are still very hands on in the running and promotion of their business, and their five children (and their families) continue to build on the footsteps of their parent’s vision. Today the Haldane’s have over 400 purebred milking buffalo at their Shaw River farm at Yambuk (west of Port Fairy Victoria). Together with a team of people who share their passion for creating buffalo milk products, they produce amazingly good cheese and yoghurt. Read more shawriverbuffalo.com