CAIRNS | I’m such a huge gelato fan, and am surrounded by great gelato spots in Melbourne’s inner north. So much so that I often, quite unintentionally, go quite a while without eating the very similar, but different, ice-cream. In Cairns, I was reminded just how good ice-cream can be when I popped into The Dairy – Mungalli.
The ice-creamery and milk bar was opened late last year, by the family behind Mungalli Creek Dairy. The Queensland Tablelands farm has been in the Watson family for several generations, and was taken over by brothers Rob and Danny Watson in 2000. They brothers changed things up in their search for a better way of doing things, and today are one of only two certified biodynamic dairy farms in Australia. Essentially it’s like organic, but next level, taking into account all of the wider ecological aspects of the farm’s operations, sustainability, and community.
At their Cairns shop, you can choose from 18 different ice-cream flavours, along with shakes, smoothies, yoghurt, and cheese to enjoy in or to go. All using, of course, milk from the family farm. There’s also lactose free and dairy free options, toasties, and locally roasted coffee.
The flavours range from the traditional, to twists on the familiar, all using locally sourced ingredients. I tried the Daintree Forest, a take on Black Forest that forgoes cherries for a Davidson Plum swirl. Lauren went for the mango sorbet. I enjoyed them both very much.
The Dairy – Mungalli
1 Shields Street
Cairns City
Queensland 4870
Australia
Telephone: (07) 4052 1128
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Sun – Thu: 11:00am to 9:30pm
Fri – Sat: 11:00am to 10:00pm