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

Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
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.

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Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her 4+ years 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? South Australia and The Kimberley.
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7 ways to switch off and reconnect with nature in Albury Wodonga

Credit: Destination NSW

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    Switch the hustle and bustle for a weekend of birdsong and greenery on the border.

    Straddling the Murray River where New South Wales meets Victoria, Albury Wodonga is just hours by car or train (or even a quick flight) from many major cities, but it feels a million miles away from the everyday.

    Here, you’ll find a blend of relaxed country lifestyle and modern city amenities, where a booming culinary scene and vibrant arts offerings meet a rich Indigenous history and stunning natural vistas. Spend time amongst river red gums, wildlife-filled wetlands and winding waterways.

    Ready to roll on the river? Here’s where to begin.

    1. Birdwatch in Wonga Wetlands

    The scenic Wonga Wetlands along the Wagirra Trail and Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk, West Albury.
    Walk along Wonga Wetlands, looking for local birdlife. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    It might be close to Albury’s CBD, but Wonga Wetlands feels a watery world away. This former grazing land has been restored to 80 hectares of lagoons, billabongs and river red gums, and you can now wander three kilometres of walking trails as you spot cormorants, spoonbills, egrets and sacred kingfishers. More than 170 bird species call the wetlands home, thanks to the Murray’s cycle of flooding and drying, so pack a picnic, settle in at a bird hide, and pull out those binoculars.

    2. Explore the Murray River

    picnicers in Noreuil Park albury wodonga nature autumn
    Take a picnic to enjoy in Noreuil Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The Murray River runs between Albury and Wodonga, where locals swap desks and deadlines for shaded riverbanks. Less than a kilometre from Albury’s CBD sits Noreuil Park, the city’s favourite stretch of riverfront. Cool off on the famous loop float, hire a kayak, launch a stand-up paddleboard or cast a line.

    Afterwards, chuck a rug on the lawn under a plane tree, fire up one of the free barbecues and watch the water as you munch on some Murray cod.

    3. Take a sculpture walk

    Albury Wodonga Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk
    See the art along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk.

    Albury Wodonga’s three sculpture trails showcase the Murray through First Nations tales on foot or by bike. Along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk, 15 contemporary Aboriginal artworks celebrate kinship and Country. The Crossing Place Trail passes the Wodonga Scar Tree, where local Indigenous people once harvested bark to craft canoes, and the Gateway Island trail tells you how the Murray sustained First Nations people for millennia.

    4. Get moving on local tracks and trails

    bike rider on albury wodonga nature trails
    Take your bike to Hunchback Mountain Bike Park.

    More than 100 kilometres of trails cross Albury Wodonga’s hills, reserves and riverbanks. Mountain bikers can tackle the championship-calibre descents of Nail Can Hill, weaving through eucalyptus forest where the rare crimson spider orchid blooms, or hone their skills at Hunchback Mountain Bike Park‘s 29 graded trails.

    Keen to explore on foot? Huon Hill makes the sore legs worth it, with lookouts across Lake Hume and the Kiewa Valley, while McFarlanes Hill meanders through stringybark woodland and rocky outcrops.

    For a slower pace, the 44-kilometre High Country Rail Trail hugs the shores of Lake Hume, crossing the red-pillared Sandy Creek Bridge before rolling into Tallangatta.

    5. Check into restorative stays

    Couple standing outside the retro inspired Astor Hotel Motel in Albury
    Check into one of Albury Wodonga’s over 60 accommodation options. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Some moments call for a boutique hotel. Others call for backing the caravan up beside the lake. Whether you’ve spent the day splashing in the Murray, furiously clocking kilometres on the bike trails or entertaining kids in playgrounds at the water’s edge, there’s somewhere to lay your head.

    From motels shaded by river red gums to lakeside holiday parks and boutique hotels, Albury Wodonga’s 60-plus accommodation options mean you’re never far from a morning walk along the Murray or dinner on Dean Street. But be warned: book ahead. You might not be the only one craving a weekend by the Murray, especially in the school holidays.

    6. Enjoy delicious dining options

    yardbird restaurant
    Enjoy incredible meals in Albury Wodonga.

    Every paddle, bushwalk and bike trail deserves a proper meal afterwards. Once you’ve swapped out your damp swimmers or your dusty trainers and start to sniff out a feed, you’ll quickly discover you’re surrounded by one of Australia’s richest agricultural regions.

    Unsurprisingly, Albury Wodonga’s dining scene is all about that Riverina produce. We’re talking Murray cod (of course) but also premium local beef from the valleys, olive oil from nearby groves, cool-climate wines and European-style cheeses.

    The restaurants, wine bars and breweries around Dean Street and Junction Square are all within easy reach, serving everything from modern Australian and Mediterranean to Thai, Vietnamese, Italian and classic wood-fired steakhouse fare. Looking for a riverside brunch? A comforting bowl of dumplings on a winter evening? Or up the ante with the vibrant flavours of Europe? Whatever the craving, there’s a table waiting.

    7. Get out on Lake Hume

    lake hume at sunset in albury wodonga nature
    Be sure to stay for a Lake Hume sunset.

    When you’re ready to dial up the solitude, trade the river for a veritable inland sea: Lake Hume. Just 15 minutes from Albury and Wodonga, it’s one of Australia’s largest water storage reservoirs. In other words, there’s plenty of space to swim, paddle and stake out a patch of shoreline all to yourself.

    Take the long way through Riverina farmland, stopping at the dam wall to appreciate just how enormous Lake Hume is. Cast a line for Murray cod, rainbow trout, golden perch or redfin and unpack a bag of bakery treats beneath the trees before launching a kayak into the vastness.

    Afterwards, stop by the Bonegilla Migrant Experience, where the remaining accommodation blocks tell the stories of more than 320,000 post-war migrants who passed through between 1947 and 1971. Give yourself time to walk through the preserved camp, stopping to digest the photographs, personal stories and artworks that reveal what it meant for residents to begin a new life at the edge of the world.

    Even if you’re exhausted, stay until twilight. The sunset is about to put on a hell of a leaving show for you.

    Start planning your escape into nature at visitalburywodonga.com.