SHOPPING

Central Sydney is arguably the largest shopping area in Australia and therefore the South Pacific. It is for this reason that shopping is cited as one of the main reasons international travelers visit Sydney.
Sydney shopping is fantastic. This cosmopolitan city caters for every need. It does not matter what your taste or style, Sydney offers endless choices.

With names like Cartier, Hugo Boss, Hermes, Celine, Hardy Brothers, Louis Vitton, Chanel, Gucci, Dunhill, Christian Lacroix, Jag Benetton Pierre Cardin and Akubra, shopping here is of an international standard including of course, duty free.

Sydney has established itself as one of the cheapest duty free ports because of the low Australian dollar and the high volume of sales.

Interspersed amongst the myriad of individual shops, boutiques, shopping arcades and duty free shops, are a number of large shopping zones. The largest of these are the two main Department Stores of David Jones and Grace Bros.

To this pair can be added Centrepoint in the middle of the Central Business District (CBD) crowned with the imposing Sydney Tower and the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) the massive and ornate Victorian era building that was the city's produce markets at the turn of the century.

In addition there are a number of other complexes centred on the Pitt Street mall such as the Glasshouse and the mid-city centre. Another interesting precinct is the large Chinatown area and Darling Harbour.

Darling Harbour - Harbourside Shopping Centre
The retail trade is of great importance to the city of Sydney and the State of New South Wales. Recent figures for NSW indicate that there are about 59,000 retail locations covering 11.3 million square metres of floorspace that annually generates a little over 39 billion dollars in revenue. This amounts to about eight percent of NSW's Gross Domestic Product.

As you can see shopping is important to Sydney and Sydney is the largest shopping area in the South Pacific. Come and spend a few dollars yourself and see what this fascinating city has to offer you. Good shopping.

Queen Victoria Building

The Queen Victoria Building has been described by Pierre Cardin as "the most beautiful shopping centre in the world". This outstanding example of Byzantine architecture, which occupies an entire city block, was built in 1898 to replace the original Sydney Markets. Later, it accommodated a concert hall, which eventually became the City Library. The building was remodelled in the 1930s and used for different purposes, including municipal offices. In 1984 it was completely refurbished as a shopping centre, with more than 200 shops. The renovations, by the Malaysian company Ipoh Garden Berhad, were highly imaginative and thoughtful. Most important, they retained the turn-of-the-century charm of the building.

The building has a series of domes and domelets with exquisite stained glass windows and extensive wood panelling throughout.

There is a marvellous hanging clock that displays a series of mechanically moving tableaux of British kings and queens every hour on the hour. This "exhibition" is heralded by loud trumpeters and ends with the beheading of Charles I. Permanent and temporary exhibitions have a Sydney at different points on each level and include replicas of the British crown jewels and a highly ornamental, full-scale oriental coach. The building accomodates a series of royal paintings.

The building is a major attraction for both visitors and residents and is open every day. Shops with Old-Worlde shopfronts are located on three levels and here you will find some of the most interesting shopping in Sydney, shops such as New Guinea Arts, which has a remarkable array of native artefacts from New Guinea.

Shopping Venues

Centrepoint
Cnr Pitt & Market Streets

Clocktower Square
35 Harrington Street

East Ocean Arcade
421 Sussex Street

Glasshouse
135 King Street

Hunter Connection
7 Hunter Street

Mid City Centre
197 Pitt Street

Piccadilly Of Sydney
210 Pitt Street

Queen Victoria Building
455 George Street

Stockland Shopping Centres
181 Castlereagh Street

Sussex Centre
401 Sussex Street

Town Hall Arcade
George Street

Westfield Shoppingtowns
100 William Street

Wintergarden Plaza Management Office
1 O'Connell Street