Brisbane - Australia 2004 - page 249

upscale jewelers and Aussie fashion designers. Farther up the mall at 91 Queen
St. (at Albert St.) is the Myer Centre ( & 07/3223 6900 ), which has Brisbane's
biggest department store and five levels of moderately priced stores, mostly fash-
ion. The Brisbane Arcade, 160 Queen Street Mall ( & 07/3221 5977 ), is lined
with the boutiques of local Queensland designers. Just down the mall from it
you will find the Broadway on the Mall arcade ( & 07/3229 5233 ), which
stocks affordable fashion, gifts, and accessories on two levels. Across from the
Edward Street end of the mall is a smart new fashion and lifestyle shopping
precinct, MacArthur Central, right next door to the GPO and taking up the
block between Queen and Elizabeth streets. This is where you'll find top name
designer labels, Swiss watches, galleries and accessory shops.
The trendy suburb of Paddington, just a couple of miles from the city by cab
(or take the no. 144 bus to Bardon), is the place for antiques, books, art, crafts,
one-of-a-kind clothing designs, and unusual gifts. The shops—colorfully
painted Queenslander cottages—line the main street, Given Terrace, which
becomes Latrobe Terrace. Don't miss the second wave of shops around the bend.
SHOPPING HOURS Brisbane shops are open from 8:30am to 5:30pm Mon-
day through Friday, 8:30am to 5pm on Saturday, and 10:30am to 4pm on Sun-
day. They stay open until 9pm Friday in the city, when the Queen Street Mall is
abuzz with cinema-goers and revelers, and until 9pm Thursday in Paddington.
MARKETS Authentic retro '50s and '60s fashion, offbeat stuff like old LPs,
secondhand crafts, fashion by up-and-coming young designers, and all kinds of
junk and treasure are all up for sale at Brisbane's only alternative market, Valley
Markets, Brunswick Street and Chinatown malls, in Fortitude Valley ( & 07/
3006 6200 ). Hang around in one of the many coffee shops and listen to live
music. It's held Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4pm.
Friday night is a fun time to visit the South Bank Art and Craft Markets,
Stanley Street Plaza, South Bank Parklands ( & 07/3846 4500 or 0414/754 082
mobile phone), when the buzzing outdoor handcrafts market is lit by fairy
lights. The market is held Friday from 5 to 10pm, Saturday from 11am to 5pm,
and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
Brisbane's glamour set likes trawling the Riverside Markets at the River-
side Centre, 123 Eagle St. ( & 07/3870 2807 ) and the adjacent Eagle Street Pier
Craft and Deli Markets ( 07/3846 4500, or 0417/635822 mobile phone) to buy
attractive housewares, colorful pottery, wooden blanket chests, handmade toys,
painted flowerpots, and other stylish wares. It's held Sunday from 8am to 4pm.
For an authentic taste of Queensland's best produce, the Farmers Markets
( & 0439/999 009 ) operates every Saturday, from 7am to 1pm, in the grounds of

Fireworks for Your Wall
If the Aboriginal art you see in the usual tourist outlets doesn't do it for
you, what you'll see at Brisbane's Fire-Works Gallery will. Upstairs in an
old printery at 11 Stratton St., Newstead ( & 07/3216 1250 ), this renowned
gallery shows art by established and emerging artists from all over Aus-
tralia. You may pale at some of the prices, but the stockroom at the back
of the gallery may have something within your price range. They'll also
arrange to get your new acquisition shipped home for you. Open Wednes-
day to Saturday, 11am to 6pm, or by appointment on Tuesdays.

Finds