Tasmania: Shopping Holiday

Shopping can be one of the more enjoyable things to do in Tasmania. There are numerous opportunities for great shopping in Tasmania, but with the recent fall in value of the pound against the Australian Dollar, you are unlikely to find the Tasmanian shopping experience all that cheap these days. There are lots of great shopping locations from Launceston in the north to Hobart and further south and you will enjoy exploring the different areas and finding new shops to explore. Shopping for arts and crafts is particularly rewarding in Tasmania and a good idea is to visit some of the more out-of-the-way rural places, where great crafts and fresh gourmet produce are to be found. The centre of Hobart has a good mixture of speciality shops, including fashion outlets, souvenir shops and art and craft galleries, as well as national department stores. Salamanca Place is a good place to start, especially at weekends when there is a market. Hobart's central business district has chains of shops and department stores. The Bank Arcade, off Liverpool Street, is one of Hobart's best kept secrets. Built in the 1950s, it has been home to many businesses over the decades including a doll's hospital, a boxing ring, and a gymnasium. Today the Arcade is a bustling, cosmopolitan showcase of local innovation and great places to eat. There are two shopping centres in Launceston: Brisbane Street Mall and the Quadrant Mall. Brisbane Street Mall is great for the larger department stores and mainstream shops, however if you are looking for brand-name boutiques and lots of locally produced arts and crafts, then the Quadrant Mall is the place to go. For fabulous homeware and Australian designer labels, Homebody in Charles Street is perhaps the best place. Just to the north west of Launceston is Devonport, where Mason & Mason in Steele Street is the place to shop if you are interested in interior decor and fine coffee. This delightful department store is well worth a special trip. Tasmania is a great place for a shopping holiday.