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, 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
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, 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."
Where to get them
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.
