For the past 13 years, Julie Donnellan has been responsible for one of the most popular treats in The Barossa Valley.

Originally from Melbourne, Julie moved to Stirling SA in 1997. She worked as a chef, butcher, baker, waiter and restaurant manager before teaching a range of hospitality, food and wine and tourism classes, while studying a wine marketing degree.

Towards the end of her degree, Julie and her partner Les Williams thought it wise to move to a wine region. 

She had already been working at McLaren Vale on weekends, but since she owned a 1979 Alpha Romeo GTV, a car prone to rusting, she moved to the Barossa.

“If you’re going to have a career in the wine industry you have to go to the Barossa,” she thought.

Julie got herself a job at TAFE SA Barossa Campus and moved here six months later in 2005.

At that time, Julie’s friends were making ice cream in Victoria and when they visited, Julie and Les took them to The Barossa Farmers’ Market.

While Julie encouraged her friends to move to the Barossa and make ice cream, instead they turned the idea around and suggested that Julie should be the one to make ice cream here.

Looking around the market, Julie saw Jersey Fresh milk and products, and all the fruit and nuts from local producers available and on hand to make ice cream. 

“That was when we figured, we’re going to make ice cream,” Julie says.

Julie’s friends helped them get started and were business partners for the first six months.

“The initial reception in Barossa was really good,” Julie shares.

It all began with one ice cream machine and Julie and Les converted one room in their house into a second kitchen. Multiple freezers were also positioned throughout the home.

“Every room in our house had a freezer,” Julie says with a chuckle. “And we were there for six years.”

With a 200-year-old adapted recipe from French reference cook book Larousse, Barossa Valley Ice Cream Company launched purely at the Barossa Farmers’ Market in 2012. 

“We didn’t want to do the same as anyone else,” Julie says. “We found good recipes and adapted them for modern use. The Farmers’ market was a fantastic place to test our theories, get it into people’s mouths and adjust recipes from learning opportunities.” 

Julie’s recipes are all whole food, using a milk, cream, egg yolk and sugar base.

“If you go to a fancy French restaurant and order ice cream for dessert, it’s what they’ll serve,” Julie says.

After initial success at the Farmers’ Market, Julie purchased her first ice cream bicycle from her friends in Victoria.

“It’s a 1960 Brazilian ice cream bike, well, that’s what they told us,” Julie said smiling. 

Julie was glad to be approached at a more recent event by a Brazilian woman who was very excited to see the bike she recognised from her home, which confirmed its origin.

“I think we have the only one of its kind in Australia,” Julie shares.

For four years, it was Julie at the Farmers’ Market and on the bike. Meanwhile, freezers were placed in winery cellar doors, and as popularity grew, breweries, caravan parks and even Adelaide Airport. Julie now has 20 freezers in retail outlets.

She has since found two additional Italian ice cream bikes and two vans, which stand out beautifully in the crowd of regular events in the familiar red and white colours of Barossa Valley Ice Cream.

In 2018, Julie relocated her production area from the room in her house to a factory at Tanunda and began employing assistants.  

However Julie remains completely hands on in the business, making all of the ice cream bases herself, with staff churning and packaging.

With 70 per cent of all Julie’s ingredients coming from South Australia, Barossa Valley Ice Cream has recently become an approved Slow Food business, with all remaining ingredients purchased from only Sustainable Fair Trade approved businesses.

“We consider where all ingredients are coming from to ensure we’re looking after the planet,” Julie assures. 

Sometimes, someone will even approach Julie at the Farmers’ Market and offer homegrown fruit, which she will then use in recipes.

In March 2022, Barossa Valley Ice Cream was given a front of house with the arrival of The Glacerie at the Provenance Barossa site at Nuriootpa.

Julie and Les employ local teens who run the front of house. 

“It’s so good for them, they learn so quickly,” Julie says. “And because they are there by themselves, they learn to think on their feet, although we’re always close by.”

With roots firmly planted in Barossa, Julie is forever on the road, being involved with country shows, corporate events, open gardens, food and wine events, weddings, school events, parties, and distributing and showcasing her ice cream at Clare, Murray Bridge, and in the Adelaide Hills along with the CBD. 

A Barossa Valley Ice Cream stall is also featured at the Adelaide Moon Lantern Festival and the Royal Adelaide Show, and has featured at WOMADelaide, Gluttony and the Adelaide Central Market. 

Julie even won a trophy for best Ice cream at the Royal Adelaide Show, for her salty caramel variety, and gold medals for her honey and rosemary, balsamic Strawberry, Ginger, Black liquorice and Rose Petal and White Chocolate.

Throughout Julie’s travels, she is constantly asked which shops the ice cream can be purchased from and as a result, is distributing her 500ml tubs to leading supermarkets.

Julie still rides the bike at events and sells at the Farmers’ Market most weekends and enjoys putting smiles on our faces with her wonderful creations.

“It’s a complicated business, there’s so much going on,” Julie shares. “I’m always looking for opportunities, other ways of doing and selling it. 

“It’s a happy job – ice cream is good for the soul.”