State of New South Wales Shopping Tips by TheWanderingCamel

Name of Shop: Lake Russell Gallery - Coffs Harbour

Interesting art from both local and Australia-wide artists, craftworks that display the finest workmanship, a cool cafe serving yummy homemade cakes and good coffee all make the short trip up the Pacific Highway to the Lake Russell Gallery one of my favourite things to do when I'm in Coffs Harbour.
The gallery stages regular exhibitions as well as carrying a good stock of high quality art and crafts. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. A couple of hours spent here with its lakeside setting, bush surrounds, cafe tables inside and out and well-laid-out and lit gallery spaces is a real pleasure .... and you may well be very tempted by some special piece.

What To Buy: Prints, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, glass, jewellery, wood - all are on display here with good information about each artist and artisan.

What To Pay: That's up to you and the scale of your choice!

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Theme: Art
Phone: (02) 6656 1092
Address: 12 Smiths Road, Coffs Harbour
Directions: 16km north of Coffs Harbour, signposted on the western side of the Pacific Highway.
Open daily 10-5
Website: http://www.lakerussellgallery.com.au/

Name of Shop: Queen Victoria Building, Sydney

Not that I'm a shopaholic, far from it in fact - but no visit to Sydney is complete for me without a visit to the Queen Victoria Building. The gorgeous mix of high Victorian architecture and decoration, beautifully restored and maintained; chic shops and boutiques - some 200 of them on 3 levels; great little cafes perfectly set up for people-watching and excellent restaurants; and the absolutely OTT kitsch of the ornamental clock that hangs in the centre void, a pianist tinkling away on a baby grand, huge glass cases displaying such diverse things as replicas of the Crown Jewels of England and an amazingly elaborate Chinese carriage make it a shopping - or rubber-necking - experience like none other in Sydney or many other places anywhere.

What To Buy: Take your pick - designer clothes, antiques, jewellery, perfumes, gifts and very expensive knick-knacks fill the little shops on every level.

I always head for the Antique Print Room at the far end of Level 2 to browse through their excellent selection of maps and old prints and I love Maggie Shepherd's gorgeous and individual designs in glowing silks and velvets.

What To Pay: Entirely up to you!

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Theme: Other
Address: 455 George Street, Sydney
Directions: Open 24 hours a day, every day. Shops open normal business hours
Sydney Explorer Bus: stop #14
Train:City Rail - Nearest train station: Town Hall
Website: http://www.qvb.com.au/IPOH/QVB/me.get?SITE.home