Iconic ice cream and lolly shop turns 10

By Samantha Elley

It is said, there are two reasons people come to Evans Head.

Obviously, the beach is the first but secondly would be to visit Muzza’s Milkbar in Oak Street.

Owned by Evans Head resident Caroline Powell, the iconic ice cream and lolly shop is turning 10 years old and they are planning a huge party.

The shop first opened on 3rd December, 2013 by Caroline’s mum, Petria Powell after the death of her husband Murray.

“It was a way of dealing with the grief but not have to go into a workplace,” said Petria.

“It was a place for me to go more than anything else, a place to make memories.

“To see children enjoying ice cream and sweets, families coming in, it was everything Murray and I stood for.”

Sergeant Murray Powell of Byron Bay police station was a police officer for 39 years, 25 of those in Byron Bay.

“Unfortunately, he got pancreatic cancer,” said Caroline.

“He died on 28^th December, 2011.”

Petria started to expand by opening a Muzza’s store in Lismore, followed by a shoe store.

“I was 20 when we opened the shop and I worked part-time for mum on and off,” said Caroline.

“In the last year before I took over I was working for mum full-time.”

With the three stores, Petria knew it was too much for her and Caroline put her hand up to take over the Evans Head store.

“At the age of 25 I took on the shop,” said Caroline.

“I loved the ice cream and the lollies, and we just continued the same business model, affordable prices so that families can come in and make memories.”

Then Covid hit and Caroline’s business was closed and her plans turned upside down.

“I was actually overseas when Covid hit,” said Caroline.

“I came home and had to do two weeks home quarantine, and I was not able to leave the confines of my tiny little unit.

“I was jotting down ideas into a notebook and I thought ‘Why don’t we just deliver?’”

And so Muzza’s started delivering.

Caroline Powell of Muzzas Milk Bar

With a freezer in her car and a will to make her business succeed, Caroline was delivering ice cream and lollies as far as Casino and Lismore.

“Customers can’t come to me but I can come to a customer if I have to,” Caroline said.

“Some people were literally buying five kilos of lollies.

“We worked out for families, it was a way of treating their kids was with sweets; they were homeschooling so they needed something to bribe their kids.”

They were so successful, not only did the business survive 2-3 years of Covid but they also didn’t take any government covid payments.

Now on the eve of celebrating 10 years of the business, Caroline said it has grown ten-fold.

“We offer ice cream, lollies, milk shakes, thick shakes, in winter we supply donuts,” she said.

“We do ice cream cakes. Give me an idea and I will try and make it work.

“Gift boxes and lolly jars are working well.”

The biggest seller, of course, is the ice cream, then thick shakes but the range of lollies is international.

“I get stuff out of the US, stuff from the Netherlands, Germany,” Caroline said.

“We’ve got Dutch liquorice in at the moment, we’ve got Barnett’s sour lollies out of the UK which claim to be the most sour lolly in the world.”

There is also a great range of nostalgic lollies that many parents of the children who come to Muzzas, remember from their own childhood.

“I’ve got suppliers who still stock them,” Caroline said.

“I am hoping to get more of the ‘Old Favourites’, I am calling it.”

The popularity of the shop is reflected in the amount of ice cream they are able to sell.

“The company we buy our ice cream from, Everest ice cream, we are their largest customer in Queensland,” Caroline said.

“They supply as far south as Newcastle and to as far north as Rockhampton.

“Even their customers, Dreamworld and Australia Zoo, we beat them in ice cream sales.

“At Christmas time we get three weekly deliveries of over 300 tubs in each delivery.”

Caroline has plans to expand and open another Muzza’s store and possibly a warehouse to house all the extra stock they have.

“She has made it what it is today,” said Petria.

“I am as proud as punch. She has looked outside the square especially during covid and found a way to beat it. She has a lot of resilience.

“Whatever she does she will put 120% into it.”

Muzza’s is having a party on December 3, 2023 from midday on, behind Club Evans RSL where there will be live music, food trucks and plenty of ice cream and lollies.

“Bring a rug or a chair and come and sit by the river,” said Caroline.

“It’s our way of giving back to the community for all the support they’ve given us.”

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Hold a garage sale this Second Hand Saturday!

ADVITORIAL

Second Hand Saturday – the North Coast’s biggest day of garage sales is back again and registrations to hold a garage sale are now open.

Over this month, Northern Rivers Council’s together with North East Waste, are hosting a series of free workshops for Buy Nothing New Month, to encourage reuse and repair over landfill. This year, Second Hand Saturday will conclude these celebrations and be held on one date only – Saturday 4 November.

Linda Tohver from North East Waste is inviting people to get involved in this year’s event, held across the Council areas of Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Lismore and the Clarence Valley.

“With millions of tonnes of waste being sent to landfill by Australian households every year, the humble garage sale is one of the easiest ways we can reduce the amount of ‘stuff’ ending up in landfill,” Linda said.

Selling pre-loved goods and buying second hand is a great way to keep items circulating within our community, especially when many of us are looking at options to reduce the cost of living.”

Second Hand Saturday Poster

Residents who register for Second Hand Saturday will once again have the option of holding their own garage sale, or to organise a joint sale with family and friends.

“We always encourage people to join forces with their local community to attract more attention – get your neighbours involved and hold a street sale, run a fundraiser or collate your efforts at your local club, school or church.  That’s just one of our tips for the day to get the crowds to your sale!” Linda said.

This year all registered garage sale addresses will appear in local newspapers, with full details listed on the Second Hand Saturday website. All you need to do is register online at www.secondhandsaturday.com.au before 25 October to ensure your address will be printed in your local newspaper. Alternatively, as listings go live after the registration process is complete, you can still register up until the 3 November, for a web-only listing.

For more information, visit the Second Hand Saturday website www.secondhandsaturday.com.au, follow the mysecondhandsaturday Facebook page or contact your local Council.

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Big Prizes on Offer at the Evans Head Malibu Classic

Date: 25th September 2023
What: Longboard Surfing Event – The 31st Annual Evans Head Malibu Classic.
When: The October long weekend (NSW) – Friday September 29th to Monday 2nd October 2023.
Where: Main Beach, Evans Head, NSW.
Why: To celebrate everything that is great about surfing!

The Evans Head Malibu Classic is affectionately known as “the October Comp,” the four-day event hosts more than 120 surfers, from 6 to 76 years of age, across 13 different divisions for men, women and juniors.
Competition will be held each day at Main Beach, Evans Head from 6:40am, with surfing finishing each day around 2:00pm. Finals day is Monday October 2nd.
The event precinct is at Main Beach, on the foreshore grass, right in front of the Evans Head – Casino SLSC. With music, a BBQ, the kiosk and amenities, it’s a great place to relax, let the kids run wild and enjoy the action out in the water.
Competitors receive an event t-shirt, a chance to win one of three giveaway surfboards plus many other quality spot prizes over the weekend.
This year’s first prize in the major raffle is a $5000 travel voucher with four runner up prizes valued at over $2500. Winners will be drawn on Monday afternoon at the trophy presentation.
A huge thanks to Reflections Holiday Parks, this year we have $1500 in vouchers to give away over the weekend.
Entry is online and a link can be found on the Evans Head Malibu Club facebook page. There are limited spots still available in some divisions and the event is expected to be filled within the next few days. So, get in quick if you are keen to be a part of this fabulous weekend.

Image: Surfer Josh Morgon by Ricky Luv Photography
NEWS ANGLE: WSL surfer and local Evans Head lad, Callum Robson, will be competing in the 8 foot division and will be visiting on the Sunday to sign autographs and have a chat to all the young surf grommets. Callum was a junior longboarder in the Evans Head Malibu Club in his early teens before he took up shortboarding and went on to carve himself a career on the world surfing stage. We are very excited to have Callum home. He’s certainly a great inspiration for the next generation of surfers.
This year’s event will be dedicated to two of our former club legends who have recently passed away, Harry Hann and Phil Roxburgh. Both of whom were Malibu Classic event co-ordinators for 20 years.
The four-day format will include divisions from the exciting 8 footers (highly maneuverable 8-foot boards) to the Old Mal (using pre 1968 boards) and loggers – a new wave of stylish young surfers who have sparked a revival of traditional boardriding involving long nose rides incorporated into their smooth, flowing style – usually climaxing with some hair-raising maneuvers in the shorebreak.
The 31st Annual Evans Head Malibu Classic is traditionally known as the longboard event that kicks off the summer. We are set to have a great weekend in the spirit of aloha, celebrating what we love best.
FUN FEATURE: The Fleas and Ants events for the 6 to 12 year old kids on Sunday morning is one of the weekends highlights and it’s not uncommon to see a few tears of joy flowing from the faces of proud family members on the beach.
Sponsors: We would sincerely like to thank the Evans Head Bowling Club, thank you to the Richmond Valley Council for its support through the Events Funding Scheme, Reflections Holiday Parks, Ben Moss Tiling, Cruz Family Office, Thyme Lifestyle Resort Evans Head, Elders Real Estate, Onfire Surfboards, Free Flight Surfboards, Munro Surfboards, Burford Blanks, J&J Southon Sound, PMD Screenprinting, Huey’s Choice Surfboard Wax, Summerland Roofing, Samantha Wilson Real Estate, Muzza’s Milk Bar and Metcalf Meats.

CONTACT DETAILS:
Matt Moyle (club secretary)
Mobile: 0400 811 796
Email: evansheadmalibuclub@gmail.com