Top 10 malls, markets & outlet shops in Melbourne
Whether you love vintage, classic or haute couture, expect a jolt of retail excitement.
The laneways, department stores, shopping precincts and outlet malls of Melbourne are a retail paradise for designer discoveries, best buys and spectacular bargains. Whether you want to refresh your wardrobe or update your home, you'll find unique vintage items, up-and-coming designers, international luxury brands and great-value chain stores. Maybe it's time to book a prepaid extra bag?
1. Queen Victoria Market
The southern hemisphere's largest open-air market with some of the best shopping in Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market is a treasure trove of food, drink, clothing, art and everything in between! It has been in operation for 140 years. Situated on the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets, the market is open every day except Monday.
2. St. Collins Lane
Melbourne's new go-to CBD shopping destination drips with hundreds of gorgeous green glass lampshades. Within this twinkling forest of light you'll discover all the big clothing and jewellery designers, plus plenty of fresh talent from near and far. This centre is also where you'll find The Aviary, a collection of eateries that includes Neil Perry's Burger Project.
3. Emporium
Emporium is a high-end shopping experience that showcases amazing architecture and big-name brands. There are more than 200 stores to explore here, including Gorman - the all-Australian, high-fashion success story that's brilliantly bright and clashy. Everything about Emporium is stylish, including the tasteful restaurants for refreshing and refuelling. Look for Emporium at 287 Lonsdale Street in the heart of Melbourne CBD shopping.
4. Chadstone
If shopping were a sport, aspiring gold-medal winners would head straight for Chadstone, with its massive selection of international designer brands and great-value fashion franchise stores. The centre is located 30 minutes from CBD, so catch the free bus from Fed Square or your hotel. This is your chance to experience the biggest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere!
5. Collins and Little Collins Street
Only three minutes' walk from Fed Square, this centrally located shopping precinct features designer stores housed in beautiful Victorian heritage buildings. World-famous brands such as Tiffany & Co and Bvlgari are interspersed with unique boutiques and hidden bars, like the Gin Palace and Mamasita. For something refreshingly different, check out Design a Space - a retail space that showcases independent Australian designers.
6. DFO centres
If bargains are on your mind, DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) centres offer a huge range of deal-focused homeware and clothing stores. You can count on a mix of local and international stores, as well as plenty of food options. If pampering is on your agenda, you'll also find beauty and massage therapists. There's a big DFO next to the Melbourne Convention Centre in South Wharf.
7. Flinders Lane
Once a grungy garment district, Flinders Lane represents all that's distinctive and intoxicating about Melbourne's new urban personality. You'll find local fashion labels, hip curiosity shops, secret bars and unconventional places to eat. For guys who love a one-stop solution, Masons delivers multi-brand menswear shopping for an easy wardrobe update.
8. St Kilda Esplanade Market
In Melbourne you don't have to rise at the crack of dawn to enjoy a few hours of market shopping. The St Kilda Esplanade Market gets going at a leisurely 10am and starts packing up at 4pm, so there's plenty of time to fossick through the stalls for art, jewellery, natural skincare, health products, vintage pieces and all manner of intriguing stuff. A Melbourne fixture since the 1970s, this market still has a happy hippy edge to it.
9. Bourke Street Mall
The pedestrian-and-tram-only Bourke Street Mall links Swanston and Elizabeth Streets. As you meander along the street, you'll be serenaded by buskers and marvellously impressed by the refurbished 1864 postal building that houses H&M. You'll also find huge Myer and David Jones stores offering a great high-street fashion shopping experience.
10. The District Docklands
Known for great-value shopping, affordable food and family fun, the District Docklands area is just west of the CBD. More than 70 brands hang out here, alongside entertainment options like the immersive ArtVo 3D.
