132 Best Places to Shop in Australia

This shopping precinct near the Exhibition Centre and the Polly Woodside historic ship hosts riverside restaurants and cafés in heritage sheds, and discount outlet shopping of international and local fashion, outdoor, and footwear brands, including Billabong, Kathmandu, sass & bide, and Tigerlilly Swimwear.

The shops and eateries at this spectacular riverside location are a short walk from both the city center, across the Ponyfish Island pedestrian bridge (slip down the stairs halfway across the bridge to find one of the city's best-placed bars, Ponyfish), and the Arts Center. There's outdoor seating next to the Southbank promenade.

Every Friday and Saturday night crowds flock to haggle for handmade crafts and gifts at the busy Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets. More than 100 market stalls line the beachfront from 4 pm.

Held every other Sunday morning from 9 am until around 1 pm, mid-February to December, the markets feature more than 100 stalls of local arts, crafts, and food, which are displayed while musicians entertain.

This store stocks a wide range of big-name dive gear as well as stinger and wet suits, swimwear, kids' gear, and accessories such as snorkels and sunscreen.

The cultural center not only has information about the Anangu people and their culture, it also houses beautiful art for purchase. The Ininti Cafe carries souvenirs and light food, while Maruku and Walkatjara Art Uluru sell Aboriginal paintings and handicrafts. The Cultural Centre itself is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm (information desk from 10 am to 5 pm); Ininti Cafe is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm; Maruku Arts is open daily 7:30 am to 5:30 pm; Walkatjara Art Uluru is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm.

There's an excellent selection of reading material, maps, arts, and crafts, but the best buy is a postcard by local photographer Peter Caust, who captures the essence of the desert landscape. This is also the booking office for the Coober Pedy–Oodnadatta Mail Run Tour.

If you feel the need for retail therapy, here's a great spot to let loose, as every store—and there are a lot of them—sells discounted goods here. There are clothes for all ages and styles, shoes, sneakers, gifts, books, sporting gear, beauty products, and more. There are cafés to refuel in, but the food is nothing special.

Adelaide's largest shopping complex is easily accessible via public transport and contains more than 300 stores, including major department stores and boutiques, bars, restaurants, and the largest cinema complex in the state. Good air-conditioning means it's crowded on hot summer days.

The gallery represents and exhibits contemporary artists, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Works cost between A$50 and A$10,000, and come with certificates of authenticity. It's open Tuesday through Friday 9--6 and Saturday 9--3, with regular exhibitions.

Resident European chocolatiers create a vast array of high-quality treats in all shapes and styles—more than 300 of them, in fact—at this artisan chocolate and ice-cream maker. Many items include locally grown ingredients such as rosemary and lavender, and there's a bush tucker range of chocolates incorporating native plant products such as lemon myrtle, jindilli nut, and wattleseed. They even have a range of beauty products, if the adults want an excuse to smear chocolate-inspired goodness all over their faces. The Chocolaterie has year-round events including kids' chocolate-making classes. It also has outposts on the Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road.  The on-site café has a beautiful view over hilly green farmland and is a great place to eat chocolate and made-on-the-premises ice cream, and also serves light meals; we also suggest you buy a selection of chocolates to enjoy later.