When it comes to shopping, Aussies are highly engaged in both online shopping and physical shopping. If you travel to Australia, you will find large stores at almost every corner providing a massive choice. However, some people may have complaints with the stores based on their service, operational hours, or any other factor. Fortunately, we have compiled a list of the best places to shop in Australia.
Top Shopping Spots in Australia
Queen Victoria Building, Sydney
If you are a fashion enthusiast, this place would be no less than heaven to you. Named after Queen Victoria of the Royal United Kingdom and Ireland, this place has the best fashion brands one might be looking for including Brando, Calvin Klein, Coach, Golden line Jewellers, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, and Jimmy Cho as well. Located in the George Street of Sydney, the Queen Victoria Building was once shut down for restoration works. Today, it truly depicts an exceptional artwork with over 180 fully working stores.
Just in case you get tired from all the shopping, the Queen Victoria Building is home to many restaurants as well. Prior to COVID-19 restrictions, the working hours were 9 am to 9 pm. During COVID-19 restrictions, the working hours have been changed sometimes. We recommend you to call and inquire from any brand before planning your visit.
Chadstone Shopping Centre, Melbourne
Chadstone Shopping Centre, also known as Chaddy by the locals, is one major shopping center located in Melbourne while it is also claimed as the biggest shopping mall in Australia with its shop floor space of 129,924 square meters. Being one of the oldest operational malls, it has now become a point of attraction for many locals while it attracts tourists as well for the diverse range of products. You can find anything here, literally!
Over 530 stores are located in Chaddy while on an average day, it may have somewhere around 50,000 visitors while the busy days may go up to 68,000 visitors as well which makes a total of 20 million visitors annually. Many of the world’s famous brands are here including Dior, Tiffany & Co., Chanel. Myer, Zara, and others also exist here. There isn’t one but many supermarkets working in this mall at a single instance including Aldi, Kmart, and Target.
Not only this, but Chaddy also has space for offices and hotels. The good news is that the center’s owners are having plans for further expansion soon!
Westfield Carousel Shopping Centre, Perth
If you are staying in Perth, the best place for shopping is The Westfield Carousel Shopping Centre which is the biggest mall in Western Australia. Just take a look at the picture which shows a wide variety of restaurants, brands, food courts, and best of all, a soothing ambiance as well. Home improvement products and apparel are also sold here. The mall is so big that it can accommodate over 4300 cars at one time while the total area is 109,795 square meters featuring 362 shops.
However, one thing many people find inconvenient regarding this mall is that it is 12km away from the Central Business District of Perth. Don’t worry, in case you find it a long distance, an easy way to go there is via Railway. From your place of residing, try to find the nearest railway station and book a ride to the Cannington Railway station. The Westfield Carousel is only about 600 meters from there that is approximately 15 minutes of walking distance.
Brisbane Arcade, Brisbane
Brisbane Arcade is known for jewelry shopping mainly but also has other businesses including restaurants, fashion stores, beauty products, and other such items too. Brisbane Arcade is almost 100 years old and was designed by Richard Galley between 1923 and 1924. The address of Brisbane Arcade is 160 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD. The inside of the Brisbane Arcade has some of the earlier heritage and culture of Australia represented as well.
There are multiple floors to this building that are renovated from time to time so that the customer experience is always enhanced. This is probably the best thing about most malls in Australia that there is no compromise on the periodic maintenance. Keep in mind that the Brisbane Arcade is closed on different types of holidays such as Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and others. Note that Easter Saturday is operational between 10 am and 4 pm.
Pitt Street Mall, Sydney
Many who are traveling from abroad might not be interested in buying from international brands as they are in many places in the world. The Pitt Street Mall would be the perfect choice for all those who want to do domestic shopping in Australia. The mall is one of the most known ones because shopping freaks can buy many items while the prices are not that high either.
At the Pitt Street Mall, clothes, watches, sports items, bakery, and some cosmetic items are also sold. Being a pedestrianized section of over 200 meters, it is often regarded as one of the busiest marketplaces of Australia. There are over 400 stores located in the Pitt Street Mall and constant renovations are done to the area to keep it appealing for the shoppers.
Block Arcade, Melbourne
One of the most famous areas of Melbourne is the historic shopping arcade named The Block Arcade. Located in the center of Melbourne’s business district, it is easily accessible no matter where you are in Melbourne. The Block-arcade is a six-story building in an L-Shape. Just like many other buildings of Australia, this one has also been constructed during the Victorian era of 1891 and 1893.
Who should visit The Block Arcade? The place is an all-time favorite for all chocolate lovers. You will also find exceptional footwear, chronographs, tea rooms, banks, and many brands as well. It is on the list of best places for shopping in Australia because of its classy Victorian architecture in the Mannerist style.
The Rocks Market, Sydney
The Rocks Market is an amazing choice for those shoppers that aren’t just interested in dresses, cosmetics, and other fancy stuff but also those that are interested in hand-made items, crafts, bouquets, art galleries, museums, and progressive dinner bars. The Rocks Market is located close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and should be a must-visit place on your list if you plan your visit to Sydney. Buy a souvenir from here and keep it as a memory of your tour.
The areas near the Rocks Market are also lively and you can spend a great evening in this area. On special occasions such as Mothers’ Day and Valentine’s Day, there are certain special arrangements at The Rocks market including fancy dinners and unique shopping items to make your day more memorable with your loved one.
Emporium, Melbourne
One of the finest places to visit in Melbourne is Emporium. It is truly one place that has anything one might ask for. Emporium went under a major renovation in 2014 after which it has been one of the hot favorites for Aussies and tourists. This mall is based on about 188,000 square meters.
Located near Lonsdale and Swanston Street, Emporium is the place for the elite. If you want specific Australian designer dresses, Melbourne is the best place for shopping. You will find a range of high-end restaurants, men and women apparel, jewelry, and health products as well. Brands like Adidas, Blue Illusion, Chanel, Diesel, and others exist here. One distinctive feature about Emporium is that it stands among one of the most known places for someone highly interested in gadgets and technology.
Adelaide Central Market
Not everyone may be interested in the fancy stuff around so these people could simply visit the Adelaide Central Market which is a market in the “old school style”. This market provides you with everything fresh including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, freshly made bready, bakery items, confectionery, and other small goods as well. This place is for all those who want authentic products right in front of them.
You would be surprised to know that more than 9.5 million people visit Adelaide Central Market every year to get organic products. It also shows the unique culture of shopping in Australia where some places are high-end malls while others are like Adelaide Central Market. Keep in mind that unlike other shopping places in Australia, Adelaide Central Market has different opening and closing times of 7 am and 5.30 pm respectively.
Conclusion
If you are traveling to Australia or are a permanent resident there, we recommend you visit these places. You would not only enjoy spending time over here but it will also help you out in exploring places that you haven’t seen before. Of all the places we mentioned above, Chaddy should be on the top of your list followed by The Rocks Market and Adelaide Central Market as all three have different types of shops in them.