As an avid reader of Roald Dahl novels, and in particular Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the very thought of visiting a licorice and chocolate factory on our recent road trip had every single one of us salivating at the mere thought. A stop at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory on our road trip to Wagga Wagga was non-negotiable.

Visiting Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory

The Factory

The Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory is located in the Riverina region of New South Wales in the small town of Junee.  The factory’s home is the old Junee Flour Mill which was built in 1934-35, and was a major player in Junee’s industrial progress following the Great Depression. The mill has been restored, maintaining a 1930′s feel of its substantial, “old world” construction.

Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory is operated by Green Grove Organics, a family operated farm based enterprise that has been practicing organic farming since 1962. They work with the Australian National University to monitor and compare their practices and output with conventional farming. This has led Green Grove Organics to be regarded as one of the premier organic test cases in the world.

Visiting with Kids

Open every day of the week, all year round (excluding Christmas Day), the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory is a must stop for any family travelling near Wagga Wagga and Junee. It offers an opportunity to explore the factory, make your own chocolate item and to feast on the chocolate as well as a range of cafe delights. Children are welcome and they are certain to love watching the factory machines in action.

Factory Tours

The Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory offers hourly tours from 10.00 am through to 3.00 pm each day. The tour gives visitors the chance to walk through the factory and watch the production of both the licorice and chocolate products.

The tour also provides a little history of the Junee Flour Mill, Green Grove Organics and the factory itself. And of course, you have the chance to try a little of the products and try your luck at the Vertical Licorice Bowling!

Freckle and Rocky Road Chocolate Making

If you are visiting the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory with kids you must book a freckle and rocky road chocolate session. The kids (or even you!) can enjoy a hands on chocolate experience where you can make a giant chocolate freckle or a rocky road plate. It doesnt require a prebooking and can happen any day of the week between 9.00 am and 3.30 pm.  It takes around 30 minutes.

The Chocolate

Tour the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory and sample a range of their products. Just be careful – you will want to take it all home!

The Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory use an organic Belgian styled coverture chocolate which they use to coat a range of nuts fruits and other confectionaries. It is incredibly different than regular compound chocolate that you find in Woolies or Coles. It is smooth on the palate and some say, good for your health.

The Licorice

Licorice has been used for over 4,000 years and is reputed to boast an array of health benefits from boosting the immune system to curing mouth ulcers. The licorice at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory is organic and adheres to the traditional methods of growing and making it.

A major feat by the factory was breaking the record for the longest continuous rope of licorice, making it into the Guinness Book of Records on March 2014 with the help of 700 volunteers.