The name Schlipalius is of German origin, but the man who brought ice cream to
Sorrento, William Henry Schlipalius was born at Fitzroy in 1879. He began as a fruit grower at Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria, growing and grafting trees. William married Lucy Arms in 1905 and they had five children. They moved to Sorrento in 1912.
Mr. Schlipalius was one of the first men to bring the recipe for making fruit ice -cream to Victoria. An Italian man gave him the recipe and he started with a hand-churn, before setting up a house and factory in Hotham Road (directly opposite the entrance to George Street).

Sorrento became a busy place when the steamers brought visitors on picnics; Butchers’ Picnics, Grocers’ Picnics and folk who simply came to Sorrento for the day. Everyone loved to hear the tinkle of the bell on Slippy’s ice-cream cart as he drove his little pony along the water’s edge. The children flocked around him and he always did a roaring trade in fruit and chocolate ice creams that were threepence, plain ones a penny. It was quite an event each day! If the highway was suddenly busy on Sundays you could guarantee that the Slippy’s ice-cream van was stationed nearby.

Mr. Schlipalius leased a site in the Sorrento Park where he set up his kiosk, selling teas, lunches and boiling water. He had a cloakroom where people could leave their bags. From November until Easter, Mr. Schlipalius made his ice cream in the morning and sold it in the afternoon. Sons Reuben and Albert operated carts along the front beach, while grandson, Roy, helped at the factory.

He sold ice-cream at interval at the picture theatre on Wednesday and Saturday nights. He would take a big barrel of ice-cream to school on break-up day in December and the kids thought that this was great! It was delivered to guesthouses and to private homes. Mrs. Sidney Myer (of Myer’s Store) commented to Roy Schlipalius one day: “Your Grandfather makes the best ice-cream I have ever tasted and I have travelled the world!”

In August of 1914 when the German army invaded Belgium and England was at war, Sorrento people went berserk with patriotic fervour. Mr. Schlipalius came under suspicion as a spy. Although he was Australian born and they had known him for years, he had a German name and that was enough! Mr. Schlipalius came to no harm and his business continued to flourish!

Roy describes his grandfather as a rather short, stout, well respected man who in later life enjoyed playing cards and bowls. He would travel to Melbourne in his (pride and joy) red Silver Crown Utility once or twice a year to conduct business and pay his bills in cash. He would be dressed in his best suit, with a watch chain on his waistcoat. William Henry Schlipalius died in 1947 and his ashes were scattered at the back beach at Sorrento.

The Schlipalius family continued to make ice cream and operate the milk bar in the main street of Sorrento. This shop (now Trigger Bros. Clothing) will always be Slippy’s to us as we remember Mr. Slippy’s famous ice-cream.

From hand churns to modern machinery, a horse and cart to motorized vehicles, the Schlipalius family has played an interesting role in the history of Sorrento and Portsea. Slippy’s ice-cream is now a thing of the past and the Schlipalius family no longer operate their business.

Note:- Text substantially from “Family Connections’ by Jenny Skelton. At the NHS Shop HERE