Junee chocolate factory, NSW
The Junee chocolate factory inside the former Junee Flour Mill offers a shop, restaurant and gardens. Drop by to buy chocolate and licorice on a Riverina road trip.
The Junee chocolate factory is one of several appealing attractions in Junee, New South Wales. This Riverina chocolate factory packs in plenty of heritage, too – it’s inside a converted flour mill.
The Junee Flour Mill was built in the 1930s and produced extraordinary amounts of flour. Today’s output isn’t quite as prodigious, but it sure is taster.
Organic chocolate at Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory
The Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory is an offshoot of Green Grove Organics, which owns a 1100 hectare farm near Ardlethan. It was one of the pioneers of organic farming in Australia, having stuck to organic practices since 1962.
Before Covid, the Junee chocolate factory offered tours to visitors. There were also chocolate-making workshops available. Alas, these are under suspension for the foreseeable future. But you can still visit the factory shop, restaurant and gardens.
Junee chocolate factory restaurant
The restaurant is surrounded by grape vines, while the herb gardens and stone courtyard outside make the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory a pleasant place to hang out.
Inside, local art is on display and there’s a surprisingly large menu to choose from. You can have granola bowls or eggs benedict for breakfast, but the licorice and chocolate pancakes feel most fitting. Lunch options include barramundi or pulled pork nachos.
But let’s face it, the reason you come to the Junee chocolate factory is the chocolate. And there is a massive range of confectionary to choose from. Options include organic chocolate-coated licorice laces, chocolate frogs and chocolate pizza wheels.
The chocolate blocks are arguably the best, however. These come with the added ingredients – whether strawberry and pistachio, macadamias or marshmallows – jutting out the top. For the full range, visit the company website.
Junee accommodation options include the fairly central Junee Motor Inn and budget-friendly Junee Tourist Park.
More chocolate in Australia
Other chocolate factories in Australia that are open to visitors include the Margaret River Chocolate Company in Metricup, WA. Also try the Phillip Island Chocolate Company on Phillip Island, Victoria, and the Barossa Valley Chocolate Company in the Barossa Valley, South Australia.