Canberra Shopping Precincts

Shopping Precincts 10 of Canberra’s best places for a dose of retail therapy

General city shopping hours are Monday to Thursday 9am-5.30pm with late night shopping on Friday to 9pm. Most shops are open all day Saturday (9am-5pm) and Sunday 10am-4pm.

1. City centre:

hidden away in the arcades of City Walk and Garema Place you’ll find lots of interesting boutiques, street fashion, designer shoes and antique books.

2. The Canberra Centre:

three major department stores, a discount department store, major supermarket and more than 200 unique specialty outlets. Boutiques in Canberra House on Marcus Clarke Street offer imported designer wear and Italian shoes. Bunda St, City.

3. Manuka and Kingston:

the small 1920s shopping centres of Manuka and Kingston are just a five-minute walk from each other. Splurge on Australian and international designer labels, beautiful antiques, gourmet food, high quality homewares and exquisite jewellery amongst the cafe-lined streets.

4. Lonsdale Street, Braddon:

original Canberra designers, stylish Australian fashions, unusual handcrafted gifts and homewares, and a beautiful private gallery uniquely situated amongst car yards, restaurants and hairdressing salons. Lonsdale Street is just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre.

5. Pialligo:

a rural suburb on the outskirts of the city where you’ll find many nurseries, orchards and Bison Homewares. Drop into the Bison Australia ceramic workshop to see beautiful handcrafted ceramics seen in magazines and sold around the world. Buy firsts, seconds and samples. Unit 7, No 8 Beltana Road (near Stonehenge), Pialligo, Canberra. Open daily.

6. Brand Depot:

Canberra’s first factory outlet style shopping centre has all your favourite brands clothing, accessories and homewares at up to 50-70% off retail prices. Browse the many outlet stores including Roger David, Strandbags, Shoobiz, Red Vanilla, Snowgum, Lorna Jane, Westco and Sunglass Hut. Majura Road adjacent to the Canberra International Airport. Open daily.

7. Canberra Antiques Centre:

a dozen local and interstate dealers selling everything from Australiana to art deco, from militaria art to books, furniture in oak, cedar, pine, mahogany, walnut, etc. Plus quality bric-a-brac including silver, kitchenalia, art glass, top-of-the range Royal Doulton, Shelley, Clarice Cliff and Carlton Ware as well as Canberra's best range of retro and vintage clothing and accessories. Open daily, 37 Townsville Street, Fyshwick.

8. Gorman House Markets:

vintage treasures, second-hand books and clothes and hand-made jewellery. Set in the heritage listed Gorman House, with wisteria clad undercover walkways, sunny courtyards and magnificent hawthorns. Every Saturday from 10am-4pm. Ainslie Ave, Braddon.

9. Old Bus Depot Markets:

set in a fabulous old industrial building, Canberra's weekly Sunday markets feature high quality handcrafted and home produced goods which showcase the creativity of the region. Types of stalls include contemporary homewares, timber furniture, bonsai, jewellery, millinery, ceramics, soap and perfumes, kids toys and more. 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston.

10. Hall Markets:

reputedly the largest hand-made, home-grown, home-produced market in Australia. Up to 500 stalls with high quality craft, timber products, pottery, leatherwork, hand knits, pewter and silver jewellery, children's toys, honey, jam, chutney, vinegar, cakes, fruit and veggies, plants, puppies, life poultry, worm farms, food and refreshments. All items must be hand produced, grown or crafted by the stallholders. Held on the first Sunday of the month (except January). Hall Showground, Hall.