Australia’s best ice cream spots

Ah, ice cream. Is there another sweet treat that can match it for deliciousness or its ability to catapult you, tongue first, back to your childhood?

Whether it was an ice cream after junior sport, a cone out with friends, or simply a regular stop on a family road trip, few frozen delicacies have such a transportive effect and emotional pull as the humble ice cream.

But who makes the best ice cream in Australia? With so many choices on offer it can be tricky to name just one, which is why we need your help.

Share your favourite ice cream spot here and you won’t only help us create a definitive list of the best creameries in the country, you’ll also have the chance to win a $1000 voucher to use at any NRMA Parks and Resorts location around the country.

In the meantime, here’s a shortlist of the Open Road team’s favourite spots to get your tongues waggling.  

Annie’s Ice Cream Parlour, Bathurst NSW

Part of the fabric of Australia’s oldest inland town, Annie’s has been serving up mouth-watering scoops since 1983. Must-try flavours include mint choc chip and rum & raison, but the standout attraction is unquestionably ‘Sofala Gold’, which offers a mouth-watering combination of creamy vanilla laden with golden chunks of honeycomb. Throw in hot pink decor and a rock-a-billy vibe and it’s easy to see why Annie’s is such an institution.

https://www.anniesicecream.com.au/

Smiles say it all: Annie's is a hit with members!

Van Diemans Land Creamery, Hobart TAS

Tassie is famous for the quality of its fresh ingredients and few places put them to such good use as Van Diemans Land Creamery. Floating on a barge anchored to Constitution Dock in Hobart, this creamery offers 24 rotating flavours that range from well-loved classics to tantalising combinations that hero local ingredients like the intoxicating pairing of pepperberry and leatherwood honey.  

https://www.instagram.com/vdlcreamery/

Thanks for sending in this delicious ice cream closeup Gregory!

Ciccone & Sons, Redfern NSW 

Proper Italian gelato is one of life’s greatest delicacies and there aren’t many that do it better than Ciccone & Sons. Set in Redfern, Sydney, the focus here is on quality seasonal ingredients, meaning that while there are some staple flavours, others rotate depending on what’s available from local providers. One thing that doesn’t change is the use of Jersey Milk from purebred Jersey cows which adds an extra layer of velvety creaminess to every scoop.  

https://www.cicconeandsons.com.au/

Cold Rock and Gelatissimo

What’s better than ice cream? Free ice cream. My NRMA Rewards members enjoy benefits at a host of ice cream outlets around the country, with offers ranging from discounts to ‘buy one scoop get one free’. Two of our favourites are Cold Rock and Gelatissimo, not only for their decadent flavours and dizzying amount of choice (Cold Rock claims over 30,000 combos), but because their sheer number of outlets means a delicious scoop is never too far away.  

https://benefits.mynrma.com.au

Fifty Acres Gelato, Caloundra QLD

Having an ice cream at the beach is a bit like strawberries and cream or vegemite and honey (trust us; try it!). It just works. So when you combine a seaside location with the culinary talents of a Masterchef winner, it’s no wonder Fifty Acres Gelato serves up such tasty ice cream. The brainchild of Kate Bracks, who won Masterchef Australia season three, Fifty Acres serves up intoxicating flavours that range from downright delicious (Ricotta with burnt fig) to brave and adventurous (Carrot Cake). All are made from locally sourced ingredients and the flavours rotate frequently, depending on the season and what’s available. 

https://www.fiftyacresgelato.com.au/