New South Wales and Tasmania have produced Australia's best steak and lamb according to the 2024 Royal Queensland Branded Beef and Lamb Awards, which received 21 per cent more entries this year.
But Queensland's honour was redeemed with top honours in the highly competitive Australia's best cheese and Australia's best ice cream awards.
The Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland's prestigious Royal Queensland Awards crowned the country's best beef, lamb, cheese, dairy, ice cream, gelato, sorbet, barramundi and prawns from a total of 465 entries.
Andrews Meat Industries from NSW won Grand Champion Branded Beef of Show for its W. Black and Tasmanian Quality Meats produced the Champion Branded Lamb of Show.
Chief judge of the RQBBLA Elaine Millar said the beef competition, won by Andrews Meat Industries from Lidcombe, New South Wales, provided a magnificent judging experience across all classes.
"The champion W. Black showcased outstanding qualities (with) textbook marbling, perfect tasting yet retained juiciness, melt in the mouth firm silky tenderness and beautifully well-balanced complex flavours from caramel popcorn, creamy pureed macadamia through to the umami richness of Shiitake mushrooms," she said.
"The exceptional beef entries reinforce Australia's position as a leader in the international beef market."
Ms Millar said Tasmanian sourced lamb was proving tough to beat with producers from the state winning Grand Champion Branded Lamb of Show in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
"Australia's best lamb for 2024, Tasmanian Quality Meats Trade Lamb, delivered superb rich complex flavours and fine pate`-like textures, resulting in a generous mouthfeel. The stunning juiciness and tenderness are obviously the result of the superb marbling throughout," shesaid.
"Our retail and food service industries and ultimately the end diner are the beneficiaries of Australia's dedicated beef and lamb producers who continue to excel within a diversity of regions and breeds of cattle."
Queensland businesses took honours in other categories with Blackall Gold Washed Rind, produced by the Sunshine Coast's Woombye Cheese named Australia's best cheese while Wicked Ice Cream from Port Douglas took the title of Australia's best ice cream for their Coconut Delight sorbet.
2024 Grand Champion Cheese or Dairy Product of Show winner Woombye Cheese has won Champion Queensland Cheese or Dairy Product of Show for its Blackall Gold Washed Rind for three years running (2022, 2023 and 2024), while Wicked Ice Cream has proven itself to be one of the nation's finest ice cream producers, winning three of the five major awards this year.
Chief judge of the Royal Queensland Cheese and Dairy Awards and Royal Queensland Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Awards Russell Smith said the standard of the entries in the ice cream competition was exceptional and world-class.
"The winning Coconut Delight sorbet from Wicked Ice Cream is just superb. It has a beautiful balance of flavours between the freshness of the coconut and the underlying salt level," he said.
Mr Smith said Woombye Cheese's Blackall Gold Washed Rind was the cheesemaker's best yet.
"Woombye Cheese was the Grand Champion back in 2022 and they have reclaimed the title this year because their washed rind entry boasts exactly the flavour profile we are looking for in this style of cheese," he said.
Chief judge of the inaugural Royal Aquaculture Awards, John Susman said the introduction of the new competition celebrated excellence in one of the fastest growing sectors of agribusiness.
"The Aquaculture Awards launched with the Farmed Prawn and Barramundi classes and the winning entries underwent a rigorous assessment based on quality, flavour and presentation," he said.
"The competition honours the efforts of aquaculture farmers from around Australia and we are looking to grow it in future years with the planned introduction of other farmed fish varieties."
Some of the 2024 award-winning products will be showcased on the Royal Queensland Cooking Stage at the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) which is now just 79 days away.
AWARD WINNERS
GRAND CHAMPION BRANDED BEEF OF SHOW (Australia's best steak)
W.Black by Andrews Meat Industries
CHAMPION BRANDED LAMB OF SHOW (Australia's best lamb)
Tasmanian Quality Meats Trade Lamb by Tasmanian Quality Meats
GRAND CHAMPION DAIRY PRODUCT OF SHOW (Australia's best cheese)
Blackall Gold Washed Rind by Woombye Cheese
GRAND CHAMPION ICE CREAM, GELATO OR SORBET OF SHOW (Australia's best ice cream) Coconut Delight by Wicked Ice Cream
OTHER BEEF TROPHY WINNERS
CHAMPION MSA GRADED BRANDED BEEF OF SHOW
Portoro, Marble Score 4+ by JBS Australia
Grain Fed Striploin Class 1
Gold: Portoro, Marble Score 4+ by JBS Australia
Silver: Riverina Angus MB2+MSA by JBS Australia
Bronze: Sir Thomas by Mort & Co
Grass Fed Striploin Class 2
Gold: Manning Valley Naturally Grassfed Beef by NH Foods Australia
Silver: Great Southern Pinnacle, Marble Score 2+ by JBS Australia
Bronze: Flinders Natural by Stanbroke
Wagyu Class AUS-MEAT Marble Score 6 or less
Gold: Carrara Wagyu by Kilcoy Global Foods
Silver: Diamantina Wagyu by Stanbroke
Bronze: The Phoenix by Mort & Co
Wagyu Class AUS-MEAT Marble Score 7+
Gold: W. Black by Andrews Meat Industries
Silver: Black Opal by Harmony Fine Foods
Bronze: KING RIVER by King River
Open Class
Gold: Stockyard Gold by Stockyard Beef Pty Ltd
Silver: Coles Finest Carbon Neutral Beef by Coles
Bronze: Ebony Black Angus by Kilcoy Global Foods
OTHER LAMB TROPHY WINNERS
Branded Lamb - 20kg or Less
Gold: Tasmanian Quality Meats Trade Lamb by Tasmanian Quality Meats
Silver: Coles Lamb by Coles
Bronze: Milly Hill by Milly Hill Pty Ltd
Branded Lamb - More than 20kg
Gold: Tasmanian Royal by Royal Wholesale Meats
Silver: Coles Graze Lamb by Coles
Bronze: White Pyrenees Lamb by White Stripe Foods Pty Ltd
Restaurant Trade Branded Lamb - More than 24kg
Gold: Kinross Station 6+ by Endeavour Meats
Silver: Victoria Hill Lamb by Victoria Hill Lamb
Bronze:246 Lamb by Midfield Meat International
OTHER CHEESE AND DAIRY TROPHY WINNERS
Champion Cow's Milk Cheese of Show
Blackall Gold Washed Rind by Woombye Cheese
Champion Non-Cow's Milk Cheese of Show
Fresh Goat Cheese Chevre by Meredith Dairy
Champion Dairy Dessert or Yoghurt of Show
Natural Yoghurt by Maleny Dairies
Champion Butter, Milk or Cream of Show
Bulla Double Thick Cream by Bulla Dairy Foods
Champion Buffalo, Goat, Sheep or Other Non-Cow's Milk Product of Show
Fresh Goat Cheese Chevre by Meredith Dairy
Champion Queensland Cheese or Dairy Product of Show
Blackall Gold Washed Rind by Woombye Cheese
OTHER ICE CREAM, GELATO AND SORBET TROPHY WINNERS
Champion Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry Ice Cream or Gelato of Show
Fiordilatte by Juliettes For Lovers of Fior
Champion Flavoured Ice Cream or Gelato of Show
Creamy Gourmet Banana by Wicked Ice Cream
Champion Ice Cream or Gelato of Show
Fiordilatte by Juliettes For Lovers of
Champion Sorbet of Show
Coconut Delight by Wicked Ice Cream
AQUACULTURE TROPHY WINNERS
Champion Barramundi of Show
Coral Coast Barramundi by GFB Fisheries
Champion Tiger Prawn of Show
Fresh Tiger Prawns by Australian Prawn Farms
