A north Queensland dairy family have embraced raw cow's milk and are selling it as a beauty product as a way to overcome low milk prices.

Eungella dairy farmers Dale and Paul Fortescue say they've been struggling with low milk prices offered by their milk processor and had no option other than diversify.

In Queensland, all milk sold for human consumption, except goats milk, must be pasteurised - a heating process which kills harmful bacteria.

But the Fortescue's have found a loophole in the law, which doesn't prevent the sale of raw milk for a cosmetic reason. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 44 seconds 3 m 44 s Listen Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. North Queensland dairy farmers discussing the sale of 'bath milk' ( Suzannah Baker ) Download 1.7 MB

"Back in Egyptian times Cleopatra used to bathe in milk," Mrs Fortescue said.

The couple still supply their milk to be processed for drinking to Parmalat, but have set up a different business arm for their raw milk venture.

Mrs Fortescue says they are finally getting a sustainable price for their product, with the bath milk retailing around $4.60 for two litres.

"We have been forced to go down this avenue, it's a case of diversify or go bust basically," she said.

"It costs about 65 cents to produce a litre of milk. At the moment, the way the industry has gone, we were getting minus nine cents a litre, so if anyone can do their sums, eventually you run out of reserves.

"It's through the grace of God that we've been able to stay this long, up until this point," she said.

The bath milk is being sold locally around Eungella, throughout the Pioneer Valley and to stores in the nearest major city, Mackay.

The change in direction has given Mr Fortescue new found enthusiasm in his work.

"Before you'd get up and you'd wonder 'why are you doing all this, we're just going bust'

"With this side venture it gives you hope at the end of the tunnel," he said.

For Mrs Fortescue the profit means the business can make bill repayments on time.

"It's an uncomfortable situation to be in when you know you can't pay your bills off straight away. It would be nice to have your bills cleared up every month on the dot."

As to the reality of bathing in milk, Mr Fortescue says it is part of his beauty regime.

"I bathe in it all the time, look at my complexion!"