10 must visit shopping precincts and markets in Canberra

If you’re after something a little more hand-picked and unique, Canberra’s shopping scene is bursting with the best in boutique.

Stock up on current season trends, or invest in wardrobe essentials such as quality basics, denim and leather. Things of Desire, located in both Manuka and Lonsdale Street, offers a unique variety of European labels that are not only exclusive to Canberra but some even exclusive to Australia. Also located in Manuka is Momento Dezigns.

Not after clothing? There are plenty of other boutiques on offer such as home and gift boutique, Hive, which is a favourite of design lovers or Timber & Tailor for ceramics, jewellery and more.

The monthly Hall Markets (first Sunday of each month) have returned to the Hall Showgrounds, providing a mix of produce, arts and craft, homewares and more. Shop the curated stalls at the Handmade Market which boasts products from a range of categories such as conscious living, gourmet pantry and textiles, all from the comfort of your accommodation.

For fresh produce markets in the inner city, the Haig Park Village Markets in Braddon on a Sunday is a must before a wander along the Lonsdale Street café and restaurant strip.

The iconic Old Bus Depot Markets, held each Sunday, showcase the best local produce, artisan baked goods, and beautiful handmade items. Grab breakfast or lunch at the market before heading next door to the Canberra Glassworks.

Each of Canberra’s larger suburban town centres is home to a shopping mall. The city’s largest shopping centre, Canberra Centre is a one-stop shopping destination. Find Zara, H&M, Peter Alexander, COS, David Jones, Nike, Muji, Myer and more. If you need a mid-shopping pick-me-up, try East Row Speciality Coffee a few minutes’ walk away. If the kids are dragging their feet, treat them to a ride on the historic carousel in Petrie Plaza.

It doesn’t matter where you are staying in Canberra, there is a mall in sight with Westfield Woden, Westfield Belconnen and Southpoint in Tuggeranong.

Art lovers rejoice - Canberra has a thriving local art scene of creative minds. Offering a unique momento of the nation’s capital is Scott Leggo Gallery, owned by Scott himself, a local photographer renowned for his landscape work. Pick up a jigsaw puzzle (or two) of one of Scott’s landscape shots of Canberra icons like the Australian War Memorial.

Tucked away on Wade Street in Watson you will discover the teeny tiny  Gallery of Small Things which has a little shop to match. All artwork is available to purchase at the Beaver Galleries, Canberra's largest privately owned commercial gallery, along with a store of beautiful products from leading Australian craft artists and jewellers.

Search for collectables, vintage and preloved items on a self-guided Fyshwick vintage trail. The arrival of Dirty Janes Canberra has put this once industrial suburb firmly on the must-do Canberra shopping map. Get lost exploring this huge warehouse of individual stallholders, grab a bite to eat at the café and watch a blacksmith in action.

To find your next great read from 1.2km worth of bookshelves, drop by Canty’s Bookshop. Afterwards, head to the Designer Op Shop Emporium and other antique and second-hand stores located in Fyshwick.

If you don’t get to Fyshwick, Landspeed Records in the city has a fabulous mix of vintage and new clothing and accessories and a range of records at the back of the store.

In the heart of the city is Craft + Design Canberra featuring exhibitions by both local and international makers. From pottery vessels to embroidery, jewellery and more, the gift shop is filled with beautiful, handcrafted pieces to take home.

Dotted along popular Lonsdale Street in Braddon, you'll find POP Canberra . 

With a hidden shopfront in Dickson is Trove Canberra – a cooperative of artists, designers and makers local to the Canberra region.

Canberra’s flourishing fresh food markets offer fresh local produce, as well as culinary delicacies and Canberra's cool-climate district wines. From bakeries and cafes to delicatessens, Fyshwick Markets, Canberra’s oldest market, is the place to be on Thursday to Sunday.

You can’t go past Canberra’s biggest produce market, the Capital Region Farmers Market, which boasts a hive of activity at EPIC each Saturday morning — grab brunch and chat to the producers. The Southside Farmers Market at Canberra College in Phillip offers a Sunday morning market option.

Whether it’s a craving for Swedish meatball accompanied by a side of flatpack furniture or a supersized pack of something, the suburb of Majura is the place to go. The home of IKEA, Costco, Bunnings and one of the largest Woolworths stores in Australia, this is your go-to location for stocking up on virtually anything, especially homewares.

A 10-minute drive away, the Canberra Outlet Centre is brimming with stores that have crafted an inspiring collection of homewares and furniture. There’s even more excuse to go shopping for yourself with discounts of up to 70 per cent off favourite brands including Nike, Bonds, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.