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I don’t have an overly sweet tooth, which my hips adore, but I do have one sweet treat I cannot refuse – I do love a good ice cream. It has to be gelato and have a stellar reputation, or I won’t bother.
I’m not a fan of those cheap supermarket cornetto ice creams, it’s got to be the best quality.
So when we traveled around Australia on an 18 month road trip, I would only stop for an ice cream if it was considered one of the best ice creams in Australia.
While we didn’t try every ice cream shop in Australia, there were a couple of places our taste-testing girls remember for great ice-cream on the trip.
Get ready for an ice cream shop adventure!
At A Glance: Top 10 Ice Cream Places in Australia
Want to know where the best places in Australia for ice cream are but don’t have a lot of time? Here are the top 10!
Looks like Queensland wins for ice cream in Australia, with Cairns rocking it!
- Annie’s Ice Cream Parlour, Bathurst
- Millers Ice Cream, Margaret River
- Daintree Ice Cream Company, Daintree Rainforest, Qld
- Gelato Messina, Fitzroy Vic
- Gelatissimo, Surfers Paradise
- My Gelato Kirra, Coolangatta, QLD
- Gelocchio, Cairns, QLD
- Devine Gelato, Cairns, QLD
- Coffee Barn Gelateria, Moonta Mines, SA
- Amo Gelato Noosaville, Qld
The Best Ice Cream in Australia
Now you know the top 10, here are our ultimate favorites from this list and why we like them so much…
1. Annie’s Ice Cream Parlour, Bathurst
Annie’s came highly recommended on our Facebook page to check out when Craig and Kalyra visited Bathurst. The line up out the door of Annie’s Ice Cream Parlour agreed it’s a Bathurst institution.
Many folks suggested the locally named Sofala Gold variety or Bridle Track, but Kalyra was having none of it and went straight for a scoop of blueberry + cookies & cream
2. Millers Ice Cream, Margaret River
Millers Ice Cream is located on a dairy farm in Margaret River. It’s a drive to get to, but scenic and worth it. There is a playground and space for the kids to run around when they’ve finished licking their lips.
There’s a wide variety of ice-cream and is expensive, but the scoop sizes make up for it!
3. Daintree Ice Cream Company, Daintree Rainforest, Qld
Even I splurged out here. How can you say no to an exotic ice cream made from the fruits of the Australian rainforest?
The Daintree Ice Cream Company is expensive ice-cream, but it’s a unique tasting experience worth coughing up the cash for and all the fruit is grown is native and naturally grown on the property.
I loved the Black Sapote and Wattleseed and Coconut. The flavours change each day and in relation according to what has fallen from the trees!
Read More: Guide to visiting the Daintree Forest and road trip from Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation
4. Gelato, Messina Surry Hills
My friend Chrissy from Hair Romance told me about her addiction to Messina Gelato in Surry Hills, Sydney.
She was their number one fan on Instagram and would duck around the corner to join the queue each time they released a phone of their new flavour creation.
When Kalyra and I went to meet her new distance education teacher before we set off on our road trip just around the corner, we decided to toast our new travel life with an ice cream from after it. It was worth it!
Read more: Fun things to do in Sydney with kids
Best Ice Cream On The Gold Coast
Since, this best ice cream in Australia list from Trip Advisor is only new and we are no longer road tripping around Australia, we decided to test whether the two Gold Coast ice cream places mentioned on the list from the Gold Coast were worthy.
We set out for a day of ice cream tasting! Hello, five-kg hips and off-the-wall children. They were in ice-cream heaven!
Read more: Free & Cheap Things to do on the Gold Coast
5. Gelatissimo, Surfers Paradise
Gelatissimo Surfers Paradise is the best place to get ice cream in Surfers Paradise!
The best thing about Gelatissimo Surfers Paradise is that they also have a vegan mango option, so everyone can enjoy some of the delicious flavors no matter what your diet.
They also have low-calorie flavors of sorbet. Unlike many sorbet makers, Gelatissimo Surfers Paradise is made with fresh fruit. There you go hips; it’s all good to eat!
The lemon, mango and raspberry were my favourites – so refreshing.
The ice cream was so good; and they also have a dairy-free and sugar-free option as well.
Okay, Gelatissimo’s you win! The girls happily gorged on different sweet treats and chocolate, announcing that the chocolate brownie was the best.
Triple thumbs up for Gelatissimo. Pop it on your Gold Coast itinerary.
6. My Gelato, Kirra
Our afternoon stop for ice cream was at the other end of the Gold Coast at Kirra Beach, just around the corner from Coolangatta.
My Gelato is listed in Trip Advisor as number 3 restaurant in Coolangatta, the raving reviews and the walls covered in newspaper articles noting their ice-cream fame pointed to a great experience.
I was happy to sit in the swinging chair while the girls played in the small kiddie section and we waited for the hordes of people to leave so we could order our treats.
I was tempted to grab a scoop of the chilli chocolate, but after tasting it, and loving the burst of spice through the chocolate, I decided an entire cup full could teeter on the break-me line.
If you don’t want to carry through with the dare either, I recommend you, at least, grab a taste test.
Then scoop up some of the bailey’s flavour in a cup or cone after it for a softer experience.
Another triple thumbs up.
I can clearly see why these two ice creams are on the best ice creams in Australia list. The Gold Coast is the perfect place for ice cream. It’s the perfect place for almost anything!
Best Ice Cream Brands in Australia
If you’re traveling internationally to Australia and you’re thinking about trying an Australian brand of ice cream, then you can find the below brands in any supermarket.
We personally prefer the gelato ice creams from ice cream shops, but we get that international travelers want to taste some of the local products.
1. Paddle Pops
For those who prefer something creamy and fun, then Paddle Pops are a popular favorite.
Kids particularly like the Rainbow Paddle Pops, which are made with creamy milk, and a whole lotta E-numbers.
We’re personally not a fan of the E-numbers, so prefer to go for the classic chocolate Paddle Pop.
2. Mango Weis Bars
If you prefer something fruity, go for the Mango Weis Bars, which are a small, snack-sized ice cream bar that’s perfect for cooling you down on a hot day.
They are made with real fruit and Australian dairy, and are even gluten-free. They’ve been a family favorite since 1957 and are made with 96% Australian ingredients.
You can find them in Woolworths, Coles and IGA supermarkets.
3. Drumstick
Of course, you’ve probably seen the Drumsticks in the supermarket, and not just in Australia too! Drumsticks can be found globally, but not many realize they are an Australian ice cream.
They are produced by Peters, who have been making ice cream since 1907. The Drumstick was Australia’s first ice cream product and are still a favorite today.
They are Australian-made in Mulgrave, Victoria, and come in a variety of flavors.
The vanilla caramel choc chip and the choc mint are delicious, but if you prefer something with less sweetness, the boysenberry swirl is a nice fruity option. Of course, all the flavours are sweet though.
4. Golden Gaytime
Kids will go wild for a Golden Gaytime ice lolly. They are a sweet blend of smooth, creamy textured ice cream and coated in a biscuit crumb topping.
They are produced by an Australian confectionary company called Streets and are toffee and vanilla ice creams, with chocolate coating and vanilla biscuit-like crumbs on top.
Golden Gaytime are one of my all time favorite ice creams!
More Australia Travel Tips
Need more inspiration for your trip to Australia? Check out these other resources…
- 25 Outstanding National Parks in Australia
- A Visit to Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia
- Things to do on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
- 12 awesome things to do on Fraser Island
- Why Rottnest Island should be on your bucket list
- Best Road Trips in Australia
- How to plan a two week vacation to Australia
- Best of Australia
- Top 20 Places in Australia
- 45 things to know about Australia
Let’s hear from you: Where’s been your best ice cream tasting experience? Can you add any ice creams to the must try in Australia list?
