History of the Strawberry Sundae at the Ekka
The Common Good

History of the Strawberry Sundae at the Ekka

The cold winds and the sun beaming in the middle of winter only means one thing; Ekka is around the corner.

Amazing rides, endless showbag options and most importantly the famous Ekka Strawberry Sundae. A trip to the Ekka isn’t complete without that delicious ice cream treat.


How the Strawberry Sundae started

The Strawberry Sundae was introduced to the Ekka in the 1950s. Ice cream company, Peter’s Ice Cream, decided to trial adding locally sourced fresh strawberries to their strawberry ice cream with a dollop of cream on top, served in a waffle cone. It was an instant hit and has remained an icon of the Ekka ever since.


The Common Good partnership

In the late 1980s the Common Good became the official charitable organisation for the Strawberry Sundaes, with all profits going towards medical research at The Prince Charles Hospital.


An ice cream revamp

In 2011, the iconic treat underwent some revamping with the help of the current local ice cream supplier Lick! Lick devised a premium, limited edition strawberry ice cream, just for the EKKA, showcasing fresh, local ingredients.

The sweetest membership ever

The success of the Ekka Strawberry Sundae would be obsolete without the thousands of volunteers who offer their time up every year. Each year, over 2,000 volunteers give up their time to scoop over 100,000 sundaes across 9 days, to help power life-changing medical research.

 

How buying a Strawberry Sundae changes Lives.

Every dollar raised through the sale of these iconic ice creams powers thousands of hours of medical research. The profits from the Strawberry Sundaes contributes to innovations in four key research areas, heart disease, lung disease, mental health and dementia.

Read more about the tips and tricks to making the perfect Ekka Strawberry Sundae.

Published: July 14, 2022

Related news & events

Professor Gregory Scalia AM

Researcher Stories

Professor Gregory Scalia AM

Professor Gregory Scalia AMProfessor Gregory Scalia AM first stepped into The Prince Charles Hospital as a registrar in the early 90s. Now, as the hospital’s long-standing Director of Echocardiography, he has dedicated most of his career to ensuring that complex cardiac diagnoses are accessible to a much larger portion of the population through echocardiography,

Find out more

Meet the 2025 Research Fellowship Recipients

Research Grants

Meet the 2025 Research Fellowship Recipients

In this blog, we introduce you to our 2025 Research Fellowship recipients and share insights into their work and why their investigations are so important.

Find out more

Key Indicators of Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Ageing

Key Indicators of Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

“There’s emerging evidence that links poor sleep to the development of dementia – particularly Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr Irene Szollosi.

Find out more

Carl Francia, PhD candidate

Researcher Stories

Carl Francia, PhD candidate

PhD candidate Carl Francia first observed the disproportionate impact of Acute Rheumatic Fever and RHD on Indigenous Australians while working as a physiotherapist in 2022.

Find out more

TPCH Researcher of the Year 2024, Dr Ieuan Evans

Researcher Stories

TPCH Researcher of the Year 2024, Dr Ieuan Evans

TPCH Researcher of the Year 2024, Dr Ieuan Evans

Find out more

Enhancing patient recovery with Memory Lane 

Ageing

Enhancing patient recovery with Memory Lane 

The hospital’s Occupational Therapy department enlisted the help of some fourth-year UQ students to complete a joint project aimed at promoting Memory Lane and gathering feedback on its usage.

Find out more

Jacarandas and The Prince Charles Hospital

The Common Good

Jacarandas and The Prince Charles Hospital

Over the past several decades on The Prince Charles Hospital’s campus, Jacaranda trees have offered shade and shelter from the elements, as well as a beautiful spot for people to gather outside the clinical environments.

Find out more

The Prince Charles Hospital’s 2025 Giving Day

The Common Good

The Prince Charles Hospital’s 2025 Giving Day

Over $162,000 was raised for The Prince Charles Hospital at our fifth annual Giving Day, thanks to our special community.

Find out more

National Safe Work Month 2025

Lung Disease

National Safe Work Month 2025

National Safe Work Month 2025: This campaign raises awareness of Workplace Health and Safety and provides workplaces around the country with guidance and resources. More here.

Find out more