Ice Cream Festival 2018

Overview

I scream, you scream, we've all been screaming for ice cream — and, for once, the gods have answered our prayers (and then some). Both the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery and the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery are hosting their annual Ice Cream Festival from February 14–25. You may want to prepare the smelling salts because they'll be trotting out 12 new flavours a day. For 12 days. That's 144 unique flavours all up. Cue Homer-esque drooling.

For $18 you can indulge in an $18 tasting session that covers 12 flavours at once, or just rampage around the place like a deranged, hungry Pac-Man and try to taste 'em all at $4.80 a pop. Compare the relative merits of flavours like gin and tonic, dark chocolate and beer, turmeric and espresso, and finger lime cheesecake and strawberry gum — all while relaxing in the grounds in either Yarra Glen or Bellbrae (or both). The view may well be lost on you as you slide into a sugar-induced happiness coma, but that's okay. They aren't inventing all those flavours for you to not try them.

You will need to book tasting sessions at both venues — check out times for the Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road.