Habana resident and hobbyist cheesemaker Phyllis Abela holds cheesemaking class as fundraiser for Habana and District Progress Association

The hobbyist cheesemaker makes about 16 different cheeses and passes on her skills to anyone who asks.

Habana resident Phyllis Abela has been making cheese since she was a little girl. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Praise cheesus – fresh pastizzis and homemade haloumi, for a cheese lover it doesn’t get any cheddar than that.

And the woman behind the un-brie-lievable creations is hobbyist cheesemaker and Habana resident Phyllis Abela.

The 75 year old said she had been crafting her own cheese since she was a little girl and on Saturday she passed on some of her skills to about 17 others at a caseiculture class at her home.

Habana resident Phyllis Abela says she makes about 16 different types of cheese. Photo: Janessa Ekert

“It’s become a bit of a hobby,” Mrs Abela said.

The group was treated to fresh pastizzis and taught how to make the cheese, as well as feta, haloumi and ricotta.

Lyn Bradley, of Beaconsfield, Debbie Teske, of Habana and Alex Kakoniktis, of Kuttabul, spent the morning at a cheesemaking class at Habana. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Ashley Kyle and Anthony Hulett, of Shoal Point, taste tested some freshly made cheese at Habana. Photo: Janessa Ekert

“I make other cheese also … cheddar, romano, parmesan, and gouda,” she said.

“I’ve tried making Jarlsberg and sometimes it turns out with holes and sometimes it doesn’t.

“I think I counted about 16 different cheeses that I make.

“I give them to friends and family because it’s a hobby and I only do it when I’ve got the spare milk.”

Fresh made haloumi cheese from Habana. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Mini pots of feta cheese. Photo: Janessa Ekert

The class, held on Saturday morning, was a fundraiser for the Habana and District Progress Association.

The group gathered around a kitchen bench as one lady stirred a heating pot of curds and whey, which later became ricotta and haloumi.

Mrs Abela said she had been teaching classes for about four years “just when people ask me to do them” and she even had a couple phone her this year after hearing her on a podcast.

Habana residents Alex Whippy and Wendy Lindsay learned how to make ricotta. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Carmel Warren, of Farleigh and Di Mather, of Habana, enjoy the morning at a cheesemaking class. Photo: Janessa Ekert

“I’m willing to teach anyone because I want it passed down,” she said.

What does she love about cheesemaking?

“I’m learning all the time, I’m a person who loves learning, and I try to perfect it,” she said.

The key to a good cheese is, Mrs Abela said, hygiene and fresh milk.

“I milk my own cow and that helps,” she said.

“I probably wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t milking my own cow.”

Habana local Danielle Jesser and Daily Mercury editor Rae Wilson, from Northern Beaches, taste tested from freshly made cheeses at a Habana cheesemaking class. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Jahn Anthony, from Habana, and Fiona Vuibeqa, from Nindaroo, spent the morning learning how to make different cheese from Habana resident Phillis Abela. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Mrs Abela said she and her husband Joseph had been dairy farmers turned cane farmers turned dairy farmers again and ran a property at Nindaroo for 28 years before moving back to Habana.

“This is the first farm we bought in 1967 and we love it … and wouldn’t live anywhere else,” she said.

The view from Phillis Abela's Habana home. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Habana residents Madison Dowden and Laurelle Dowden learned how to make a variety of cheeses with local cheesemaking hobbyist Phillis Abela. Photo: Janessa Ekert

Now the pair run a small “hobby farm” with 120 brangus breeders.

“I don’t know whether we’re retired,” she laughed.

“We work just as hard now as we ever did. That’s the way we were brought up.

“We don’t know what a sleep in is.”

Habana resident Phyllis Abela has been making cheese since she was a little girl. Photo: Janessa Ekert

In fact the couple received six ribbons at the 2021 Mackay Regional Show for their cattle.

Mrs Abela said one bullock was named grand champion, champion grass fed, best grass fed and best confirmation.

They were also named best exhibitor for 15 head and less, and placed third for single carcass.

A bullock from the Abela's hobby cattle farm took home four ribbons at the 2021 Mackay show including grand champion, champion grass fed, best grass fed and best confirmation. The Habana couple also won best exhibitor for 15 head and less and placed third for single carcass. Photo: Janessa Ekert

“It gives us an interest,” she said.