People-watching in these bastions of the young, rich and beautiful people is half the fun, and most of the main shopping drags have funky little cafes or restaurants where you can watch the world go by, sipping on an ice cold beer or a skinny soy latte.
Australia Shopping Guide
What to buy
Australia is well known for it’s abundance of high quality opals, and it is the only country where you can find black opals. Over 95% of the world’s opals come from Australia, and henceforth they can be bought relatively cheaply.
Aboriginal or Aboriginal-style souvenirs are also popular, and include didgeridoos and boomerangs, although the examples found in tourist shops are often of questionable authenticity.
Australia also produces some of the world's best surfing equipment, and multinational brands such as Billabong, Quicksilver and Ripcurl all call Australia home. As such, great bargains and a huge variety can be found at the multitude of outlets around the country.
Shops in tourist ghettos abound in tacky “Australiana” souvenirs, including the standard stuffed koalas and kangaroos, road signs, pins, shot glasses and akubra hats (with or without dangling corks).
Opening Hours
In the major cities shops are usually open from 9 am to 6pm through the week with late night shopping on either Thursday or Friday night, they are also open all weekend. Outside of the bigger cities opening hours may be more limited. Shops are normally open 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and until midday on Saturday.
Payment
Credit cards are commonly used throughout Australia, with the major ones accepted being Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club. Cash Cards (ATM Cards) linked to the Cirrus or Maestro network are also accepted.
Taxes
GST (Goods and Services Tax) in Australia is 10%. Recently the Australian Government introduced the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). This scheme is administered by Customs, and, generally speaking, it entitles tourists to a refund of GST and WET (wine equalization tax) on goods purchased from Australian retailers. There are certain conditions which must be met in order to receive the refunds - these can be found at Australian Customs Service - Travellers Advice
