The esky has played a unique role in Australian culture, especially with regard to outdoor activities, camping, and sporting events, and for reasons of novelty. In particular, the design and use of the esky has evolved through its relationship with Australia's drinking culture. A feature of the first Esky model was that it was designed to carry six "standard" 1-pint bottles as well as a triple level food section. Malley's Esky was created as a tool for camping and caravanning holidays and was called the Esky Auto Box, encouraged by the post-war popularity of the private motor vehicle. The esky became an essential part of the beach, outdoor dining and barbecue culture that developed in Australia during the 60s and 70s. Due to their portability and extensive use outdoors, an esky can also double as makeshift cricket stumps, with some companies even making hybrid products that include retractable stumps (among other useful features such as a bottle opener).