Released on: October 31, 2007, 7:01 pm

Press Release Author: Alistair White

Industry:

Press Release Summary: The vast continent of Australia offers a staggering array of
shopping options. All the major cites feature a David Jones department store,
bustling markets, and a host of boutiques and arcades.

Press Release Body: The Australian shopping experience offers a vast range of both
imported and locally-made goods.
Local products include the inevitable toy koalas, kangaroos and wombats. But many
local fashion designers are making names for themselves. In tune with the laid back
\'Down Under\' lifestyle, Aussie designs tend to be more casual and comfortable than
those from Europe. Notable local brands include Sass and Bide, Carla Zampatti, Jag,
and Adele Palmer.

Locally-mined opals are one of the best buys in Australia but you really need to
know what you\'re doing when shopping for any kind of gemstone.

And of course if you\'re after serious Aboriginal art or just a boomerang or
didgeridoo, Australia\'s the place to go.

Shopping In Sydney

Downtown Sydney is home to the standard retails outlets. For department stores, the
two major names are David Jones and Myer. David Jones is the largest, selling goods
ranging from the latest fashions to designer furniture.

For more individual wares you have to head to Paddington, Glebe and Newtown, home
to distinctive boutiques showcasing the threads of local designers, along with
jumble shops and markets for penny-pinchers. Oxford Street is the domain of myriad
fashionable clothing outlets featuring the creations of the city\'s most avant-garde
designers.

A must visit is the Queen Victoria Building which houses a delightful Victorian
shopping arcade offering four levels of male and female fashion items in 200
boutiques.

Shopping In Melbourne

Melbourne is acknowledged to be Australia\'s shopping capital. It is home to grand
fashion houses, department stores, fascinating souvenir shops, and glorious arcades.

The arcades are one of Melbourne\'s treasures. The finest is the Block Arcade home to
over 30 businesses such as the historic Hopetoun Tearooms. Another gem is the Royal
Arcade and don\'t miss the massive Melbourne Central shopping complex between Latrobe
and Lonsdale streets.

Other Melbourne shopping attractions include South Yarra featuring Australian
fashions, and Toorak Road for high-priced, brand names such as Gucci.

For the more thrifty shopper, head to one of the thousands of retail shops and
factory outlets. They\'re spread around Melbourne especially on Bridge Road and Swan
Street. Here you can pick up designer clothes, perhaps last season\'s top picks, for
just pennies on the dollar.

Shopping In Brisbane

Australia\'s third-largest city boasts a broad array of shopping outlets gracing its
tropical landscape. Brisbane\'s shopping scene is centered on Queen Street Mall which
houses around 500 retail outlets.

Queensland\'s own fashion creations are on sale at the Brisbane Arcade. The nearby
Broadway on the Mall and MacArthur Central offer a wide range of gifts and
accessories and designer labels and Swiss watches.

But for an authentic Brisbane shopping scene, you have to head to one of the city\'s
many markets. Valley Markets is the place for alternative and retro fashion. It\'s
open on weekends from 8 am to 4 pm On Friday nights, the South Bank Art and Craft
Markets come to life with its stocks of handicrafts.

Web Site: http://www.cheaperthanhotels.com.au/Australia/

Contact Details: cheaperuk@tbi.com.au