TOMWILDE
CambrayCheese,Cundinup,WA
TomWildedescribeshimselfasa full-time
cheesemakeranda part-timerallydriver.When
he’snotontheracetrackhe’satCambrayCheese,
a farm-to-platterbusinessthathisparents,Bruceand
Jane, runin Cundinup,threehourssouthofPerth.
Hebeganpitchingin whenhewasa schoolkid
andeventuallyhelpedhisfatherbuildthefactory.
Nowheworksinthefamilybusiness,milking
280 ewesandmakingcheese.
Muchofhistimeis spentinthetemperature-
controlledcavewherecheesesarelefttomature.
Eachwheelweighsbetween 15 and 200 kilograms,
andtheyneedtobeturnedaspartoftheageing
process.“It’sdefinitelyquitea work-outdoingthe
wholeroom,”hesays.
Freshcurdsarereadytogoatjustthreedays,
butmaturesheep’smilkcheesescantakeyears
toage.“Wejustcutintoa cheesethatwasmade
backin2013,”saysWilde,whocomparesthe
approachtomakingwine.
Cambray’sFarmhouseGoldandtwocow's-milk
cheeses,BlackwoodBlueandCuminGoudafrom
milkproducednearbyatWalsallDairy,allpickedup
goldattheWADairyIndustryAssociationAwards.
It’stheculminationofa longprocessthatincludes
preppingryegrass-cloverhayforthesheepand
breedingtheanimalsonValentine’sDayeachyear.
Sure,CurtisStone,NigellaLawsonandPeter
KuruvitaarewellawareofCambrayCheese,but
recognitionisn’twhatdrivesWilde– it’sknowing
anotherwheelis ready.“I'mextremelyproudtosee
a productstartoutasgrassina paddockandend
up as an 18-month-old mature sheep’s milk cheese.”
CambrayCheese
wheelsinthe
cave.Opposite,
fromtop:Monique
MilltonandTim
Webber,ofManon
Wine,withtheir
son,Felix;
TheDairyman,
Michael
Wohlstadt,
with his cows.