Hey fellow cheese lovers!

I wanted to share my experience and a few tips on how to bring cheese safely from Europe to Australia—even with 24–28 hour journeys, stopovers in hot countries, and no refrigeration along the way.

✅ What You’ll Need

• A hard plastic cooler (about 20L is a good size). It’s sturdy and keeps everything well insulated.
• Slim ice packs: I used 2 large flat ones on the sides and 2 regular ones inside, surrounding the cheese.
• Ask your cheesemonger to vacuum-pack the cheese in small separate bags. I recommend 3–4 small cheeses per bag, or 1 cheese per bag if it’s a large piece.
• The vacuum seal doesn’t need to be ultra-tight—just enough to contain the smell and protect against moisture if ice packs melt.
• Make sure the cheese fits snugly in the cooler so nothing moves around during the flight.

💡 Packing Tips

• If your cooler isn’t completely full, add towels or padding to prevent movement.
• Once packed, go to an airport luggage wrapping service and shrink-wrap your cooler. This adds an extra layer of security.
• Add “FRAGILE” stickers and directional labels (TOP, BOTTOM, arrows). You can also use a marker to write something friendly like “Please handle with care ❤️”—sometimes that little human touch helps.

✈️ At the Airport

• Check the cooler in as checked luggage—do not take it in the cabin. The luggage hold is usually cooler than the passenger cabin.
• If your cooler is a non-standard size, try the oversized baggage counter and tell them it’s fragile.
• Declare your cheese clearly on the customs form. I did, and they didn’t even open the cooler. As long as it’s declared, there’s no issue.

🧀 Real-Life Test

Here’s how it went for me:

• Departed Nice on Tuesday at 11am
• Arrived in Australia on Wednesday around 4–5pm French time (about 28 hours total)
• Stopover in Doha, where it was 32°C
• When I opened the cooler:
  
• The ice pack in the center was still frozen
• The side packs were half-frozen
• One ice pack had burst (probably from the pressure), but the vacuum-sealed cheese was dry and fine
• Some moisture inside, but nothing ruined
  

📦 In Total

• I brought about 6kg of cheese
• Everything arrived in great condition
• Zero issues with customs or the airline

So yes—you can absolutely bring cheese from Europe to Australia, even with long travel times and warm stopovers. Just prepare it well, pack it smart, and declare it honestly when you arrive.