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2 of Australia’s Big Things just became ice cream flavours

Australia’s love affair with Big Things has taken a sweet turn.

Summer road trips and ice cream go hand in hand, so it’s little wonder Peters Ice Cream has turned to two of Australia’s most famous Big Things for inspiration.

Drumstick Road Trippers ice cream range on surfboard
Drumstick has launched a new Road Trippers range.

Drumstick, the country’s best-selling ice cream cone, has launched a new Road Trippers range that takes its cues from the Big Rocking Horse in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills and the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour on the NSW North Coast.

The two new flavours – Rocky Road and Banana Caramel – are unapologetically nostalgic. The Rocky Road pays homage to the Adelaide Hills’ towering 18-metre Big Rocking Horse, with marshmallow, chocolate, diced nuts and raspberry syrup swirled through each bite. Banana Caramel channels the Big Banana with banana and toffee ice cream layered with caramel syrup and finished with blondie pieces.

A road trip snack with serious Aussie cred

The Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, NSW
The Big Banana is Australia’s most famous Big Thing. (Image: Destination NSW)

Big Things are a uniquely Australian obsession. From the Big Pineapple to the Big Prawn, there are more than 75 oversized landmarks scattered across the country, each with its own story and roadside appeal. They might seem kitsch, but these quirky icons have become enduring symbols of regional pride and tourist curiosity.

The Big Banana is the most famous of them all. Since 1964, it has welcomed more than a million visitors each year, who come for its photo ops, toboggan rides and banana-themed treats. It also punches well above its weight on social media, attracting more than 300,000 shares annually.

The Big Rocking Horse in Adelaide Hills, South Australia
The Big Rocking Horse holds a Guinness World Record. (Image: Frame)

The Big Rocking Horse, built in the early 1980s, remains the largest of its kind in the world. At 18 metres tall, it has earned a Guinness World Record and has long been a favourite pit stop for road trippers exploring the Adelaide Hills. Both landmarks perfectly embody the eccentricity and nostalgia that Big Things bring to the Australian travel experience.

According to recent research by Youi, more than half of Aussies are planning a road trip in the coming months. For Drumstick brand manager Michael Dib, the Road Trippers range is a nod to the roadside pit stops that define the experience.

“From The Big Banana to The Big Rocking Horse, our two new flavours celebrate the weird, legendary and uniquely Australian landmarks we all know and love," says Drumstick brand manager Michael Dib.

“For Aussies, snacking and road trips go hand in hand, so Drumstick wanted to create bold new flavours that celebrate classic road trip memories while helping everyone make new ones this summer."

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Where to get them

3 people eating Drumstick Road Trippers Rocky Road ice cream
Get single-serve Rocky Road cones at petrol stations and convenience stores.

The cones land in time for summer road trips, rolling out this month. Multi-packs are available at Coles, Woolworths and independent grocers, while single-serve Rocky Road cones will also be stocked in petrol stations and convenience stores. So next time you’re road-tripping past a Big Thing, you might just have the perfect cone to match.

Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
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7 Great Walks of Australia providing unforgettable adventures

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
    Traipse Jurassic cliffs and wander secluded beaches on Australia’s most enchanting walks.

    Australia’s landscapes are made for hiking. Take the Red Centre, dusted in shifting sands and dotted with miraculous geological formations. Or our rainforests, left behind as the sole souvenir from continents that no longer exist. Down south, mottled night skies hang above crashing seas and unwavering cliffs. It makes sense, then, that hiking holidays are rising in popularity. No wi fi, no traffic. Just you and the path less travelled on the Great Walks of Australia in remote and iconic destinations.

    What are the Great Walks of Australia?

    If nature is your happy place, you’ve likely heard of the Great Walks of Australia, part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences program since 2013 – a curated collection of 15 all-inclusive, eco-luxury journeys showcasing the country’s most spectacular landscapes with expert guides and incredible meals. GWOA launching in 2013 as 

    From exploring the peaks of a World Heritage listed island, to journeying through the heart of Australia, and the gentle pull of the majestic Murray – there’s a walking holiday to suit walkers of all experience levels (and interests).

    Joining a Great Walks of Australia hike means the pressure is off with all meals, guides and eco-luxury accommodation included.

    Where can you hike?

    1. Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland

    great walks of australia tour group on Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland
    Enjoy incredible food along the way.

    Around 23 million years ago, volcanoes spewed magma across Queensland’s Scenic Rim. Now, what’s left of the fiery landscape takes the form of the UNESCO-listed Gondwana rainforest.

    The Scenic Rim Trail is a four-day guided hike that takes you through the ancient rainforest. You’ll venture out into breathtaking viewpoints across the Main Range National Park. Enjoy a packed lunch, listen out for the duplicitous calls of the lyrebird and enjoy the silence.

    You’ll spend your nights in boutique eco-cabins and incredible hospitality.

    2. Murray River Walk, South Australia

    great walks of australia tour group on
    Walk through vibrant wildflower fields.

    Murray River Walk pairs easy hiking with blissful evenings cruising the Murray River. Over four days and nights, you’ll follow kangaroo trails through red dirt dusted with vivid patches of wildflowers.

    Each day ends on a solar-powered, custom-built houseboat. Watch towering, red sandstone cliffs float by from the top deck spa. Then, it’s three-course meals sourced from local produce and served alongside the region’s best wines.

    The entire region you’ll be traversing is within the Riverland Ramsar site. Watch as spoonbills forage for food in the tranquil wetlands, emus parade through the wildflowers, and regent parrots flit above.

    3. Maria Island Walk, Tasmania

    wombat along the Maria Island Walk tasmania
    Spot adorable locals.

    Your Maria Island walk begins with a private boat transfer to an untouched, white sand beach. Barefoot in the sand, you’ll quickly realise – aside from your guide and group – you’re completely alone. Spot countless wombats and hear the distant calls of Tasmanian Devils as you spend four days leisurely traversing the island.

    Nights are split between private, comfortable wilderness camps and queen-size beds in a historic cottage from the island’s convict history. Meals are built around fresh-caught seafood and served with East Coast Tasmanian wine.

    4. Seven Peaks Walk, New South Wales

    hiker on Seven Peaks Walks on Lord Howe Island
    Explore the incredible Lord Howe Island. (Image: Luke Hanson)

    Lord Howe Island feels like another world. With its patchwork blue coral lagoons and magma-honed peaks, it’s easy to forget you’re in New South Wales.

    This walk has the highest level of elevation in the Great Walks of Australia’s collection. It’s because of this that you’ll witness nature like never before. UNESCO-listed volcanic peaks and coral reefs that grew out of solidified lava will become your daily norm.

    Along the way, step onto beaches that lie undisturbed for weeks at a time. Then, snorkel the southernmost reef in the Pacific Ocean.

    5. Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk, Northern Territory

    great walks of australia tour group on
    Learn from the Anangu people.

    This five-day, fully guided, premium hiking experience inside Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park was developed in partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners. Begin your walk dwarfed by the shade of Kata Tjua’s towering dome formations. Following remote desert trails through the red sands, crest dunes and traverse mulga woodlands as you draw closer to the monolithic walls of Uluu.

    Each night, dine under the lamp light of the Milky Way in the warm desert air and sleep in new flagship, environmentally sensitive private camps and lodge. This is the first time that travellers have ever been allowed to spend the night inside the national park.

    6. The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria

    great walks of australia tour group on The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria
    See the Twelve Apostles in a new way. (Image: Ken Luke)

    The Great Ocean Road’s rugged splendour is best experienced on this signature four-day, 44-kilometre guided walk. You’ll follow the rugged limestone stacks of the shipwreck coastline: wild, crashing waves, curious wildlife, and two national parks.

    Finish each day at your luxurious lodge, where you’ll sit with your feet soaking and a glass of wine in hand. You’ll have a single lodge to call home on this walk, meaning you’ll only need to set out with a day pack.

    7. Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania

    Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania
    Walk along the edge of the world. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

    On Tasmania’s Three Capes Signature Walk, you’ll feel like you’re walking along the edge of the world. From your boat landing on a remote beach, climb slowly upward for spectacular views and wildlife encounters with pods of dolphins, fur seals and echidnas. Spend days walking Jurassic dolerite cliffs with the wild Southern Ocean as your only constant.

    Stay in architecturally designed eco-lodges nestled at the very edge of the world. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, a plunge pool and even an on-site spa to tend to ailments from the hike.

    Discover more Great Walks of Australia and start planning your next adventure at greatwalksofaustralia.com.au.