Best spots for shopping

Shop till you drop!

Melbourne is the Australian’s shopping capital. You’ll find absolutely everything for any budget. Every turn reveals a new shopping area with its own personality. Stroll in a web of narrow streets where little boutiques sell the most surprising things; marvel at beautiful arcades full of delightful unique stores; and discover mouth-watering shopping centre and department stores. All within a short walk or a tram stop or two, shopping in Melbourne is nothing less than a pleasure.
Shoppers will be happy to know that most stores are open seven days and many stay open until 7pm on Thursday and 9pm on Friday.

Plunge into Melbourne’s shopping heart. Featuring a pedestrian and tram-only strip between Swanston and Elizabeth streets, Bourke Street Mall attracts hundreds of thousands of locals and a large number of tourists every day. Here you’ll find Melbourne’s two big department stores, David Jones and Myer, plus the old world Royal Arcade and the neo-classical style GPO Melbourne. Where to start? Bourke Street Mall exhibits numerous chain stores such as HMV, Nike, Adidas, Target and the The Body Shop, and several large specialty stores. Don’t forget to stop at Kosminsky, Melbourne’s most famous and iconic jewellery store.
From Bourke Street walk to Swanston Street, where you’ll find everything from discount souvenir shops to cheerful teenage fashion and more jewellery stores.

Majestic and tree-lined, Collins Street exudes style and glamour. It’s a boulevard of grand heritage buildings, chic designer shopping, exclusive jewellers and private clubs. You’ll find luxury goods from Ralph Lauren, Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Tiffany & Co or Louis Vuitton. A must see on Collins is the 19th century Block Arcade with its selection of beautiful shops including the popular Haigh’s Chocolates. The street also houses more affordable stores at the Georges complex and multi-level shopping centres, Collins Two3Four and Australia on Collins.

Little Collins is more sophisticated and exclusive than its big sister. From haute couture to hip culture and funky threads, Little Collins Street is where the city’s streetwise head to shop. It is home to some of Melbourne’s most famous designers including Alannah Hill, Bettina Liano, and Scanlan & Theodore. After a busy day’s shopping there are plenty of cool bars hidden in laneways or upstairs.

Wander along Little Bourke Street which link the area to Bourke St and Lonsdale St and discover Chinatown’s distinctive character. Melbourne's Chinatown is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world. Enjoy the typical Chinese pagoda architecture that overlooks restaurants, cafes and Asian grocery stores. And let’s get fascinated by unique and exotic gifts, Chinese medicine, music, gold and jewellery, events and festivals.

Docklands is Melbourne’s newest waterfront destination in the heart of the city. It has a dynamic combination of residential, commercial, retail and leisure activities. Spectacular harbour, stunning views, unique urban art, grand promenades, historical wharves, new marinas and parkland, there is so much to see and experience. Award winning restaurants, stylish bars and cool cafes add to the scenery for your own pleasure.

The newly redeveloped Melbourne Central is a destination for shopping, eating & entertainment. With over 300 stores to explore, the shopping mall displays a unique and modern architectural space, reflecting the diversity and evolution of the Melbourne CBD. Melbourne Central is a great place to visit. And after shopping, catch a movie at the new eleven-screen Hoyts cinema, enjoy the fun of King Pin Bowling or grab a bite to eat at any of the late night bars and cafes.

Where:

Corner of LaTrobe & Swanston Streets

QV is a city within a city. It has something for everyone including those with a taste for boutiques, enlightening entertainment and cosmopolitan bars and restaurants. QV is one of Melbourne’s latest and most exciting retail developments, which boasts an innovative mix of fashion, homewares and furniture. For fashion addicted, Albert Coates Lane at QV is home to a dynamic mix of high-end fashion and lifestyle retailers. Retailers in Albert Coates Lane include Aesop, Cactus Jam, Christensen Copenhagen, Nicola Finetti, Paablo Nevada, and Keress Boudoir.

Where:

entries off Lonsdale Street, Little Lonsdale Street and Russell Street

On the river's edge next to the Victorian Arts Center, the development of Southgate successfully refocused Melbourne's attention on the scenic Yarra River. The Southgate complex has so much to offer visitors including restaurants, bars and cafés, unique stores, a riverside Food Court, and exciting entertainment programs. The complex features three levels of shops with over 80 unique retailers including Ken Duncan Gallery, selling mesmerising images of Australian landscapes. Walk further down the river and stop at Crown Entertainment Complex. Fashion lovers will have the opportunity to shop world’s leading designers including Prada, Versace, Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton, La Perla, and LK Jewellery. Urban favourites are also well represented with FCUK, Armani Exchange, Guess and Beach Culture.

Where:

Southbank, opposite Federation Square

South Yarra’s Chapel Street, between Toorak Road and Commercial Road, is probably Melbourne’s trendiest and most stylish centre for retail fashion. You can easily spend the best part of a day strolling down this fabulous street, which features more style, personality and diversity than any shopping mall. Chapel Street is home to top Australian designers like Scanlan & Theodore, Colette Dinnigan and Bettina Liano. It has always been upmarket but today it is especially appealing to upwardly mobile young folk with money to burn.
Discover the Jam Factory - real jam factory once, it is now a modern shopping complex with a Borders bookshop and cinemas.

Nearby Toorak Road and High Street are also well-known shopping strips, offering a more understated sophistication with exclusive and specialist shops and boutiques.

*All information is subject to change without notification.