What are musk sticks?
Musk sticks are a classic Australian lolly: pink, chewy, star-shaped sticks with a sweet floral flavour inspired by musk. They have been sold in milk bars and lolly shops for generations.
Musk flavouring has a perfumed, slightly floral taste that many Australians associate with childhood. The same flavour is used in musk Life Savers and other musk-flavoured sweets.
Musk sticks are made from sugar, gelatine and flavouring, extruded into long fluted sticks and cut to size. They are usually bright pink, though other colours have been made.
A nostalgic treat
Musk sticks were a favourite in mixed lolly bags bought from corner shops and milk bars, alongside snakes, freckles and milk bottles. Many adults remember buying them with pocket money.
The flavour divides opinion: some people love its perfumed taste, while others say it tastes like soap or grandma's perfume.
They are still sold in supermarkets and lolly shops, and they occasionally appear in modern desserts, such as musk ice cream and musk-flavoured cocktails, as chefs play on nostalgia.
Did You Know?
Australians usually call sweets lollies, not candy.