The general store is an enduring relic of yesteryear, still stocked with everything from fuel to homemade jams. Here are 13 of the best in Australia.
The humble general store wears many hats. A post office. A fuel stop. A cafe. A deli. A watering hole. A time capsule that steers you tenderly into the past. But above all, it’s a neighbourhood hub that brings people together.
These charming general stores in Australia are the beating heart of their communities, representing all the things we love about small regional towns. At the same time, they’re evolving – offering new reasons to stop in from community art spaces to wine dens championing local makers.
And we think it’s about time someone made a hit list.
Wollombi General Store, NSW
Take a trip down memory lane at Wollombin General Store.
Part of Hunter Valley village since the 1850s, Wollombi General Store has long been a place to swing by for a chat, drop off post and trawl antiques. Now, the much-loved bolthole is doubling down on its creative heritage by opening the Artisans Collective – a working space in the old barn behind the store where visitors can converse with local artists while they work. Mosey on in for coffee on the verandah or a scoop of gelato, or to scan shelves filled with local goods.
Address: 2886 Wollombi Rd, Wollombi NSW 2325
Wollombin General Store has goods aplenty.
The Artisan Collective is a space for local artists and visitors to connect.
Enjoy the cosy ambience of Wollombin General Store.
Yum Yum Angourie Cafe & General Store, NSW
Add Yum Yum Angourie Cafe & General Store to your bucket list. (Credit: Destination NSW/Ben Savage)
The Yum Yum Angourie Cafe & General Store was, as the name suggests, originally in Angourie. But owners Chris Todd and Morgan Bramwell-Baker have since moved five clicks away to their new premises, an original Art Deco home in the centre of Yamba. Today, the general store stocks more than staples, with everything from beautifully designed camping gear to candles, books and backpacks. Patrons are a mix of holidaymakers and locals who, thanks to the recent addition of a liquor license, also stop by for a bottle of plonk or a six-pack of local ales. Find them on Instagram at @yumyumangouriecafegeneralstore.
Address: 29 Coldstream St, Yamba NSW 2464
Glenlyon General Store, Vic
Glenlyon General Store near Daylesford. (Credit: Visit Victoria/Safari Global)
While the exterior of the historic 1870s Glenlyon General Store is all timber and tin, the interior is full of treasured photographs that pay homage to Australia’s colonial past – making it one of the top general stores in Australia. Although it’s ostensibly a cafe, the historic store is still a purveyor of everyday items such as bread, fruit and vegetables, honey, pasta and panettone, as well as little luxuries like wine and chocolate. Do clock the community noticeboard, which constitutes a form of sightseeing, as locals promote their colourful side hustles.
Address: 63 Barkly St, Glenlyon VIC 3461
Harcourt Produce & General Store, Vic
Harcourt General Store stocks wines and gourmet produce. (Credit: Visit Victoria/Griffin Simm)
Harcourt Produce & General Store is one of the most beloved general stores in Victoria, and you’d be silly to think otherwise. The community institution, cafe and wine bar not only sells gourmet goods (think preserves from the kitchen garden) to take home but plates up seriously good Danish pastries and pies, making it an obligatory coffee-run destination. For those looking to quench their lunchtime thirst, there’s also craft beer and cider on tap. Follow @harcourtproduce on Instagram for updates.
Address: 115 Harmony Way, Harcourt VIC 3453
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Merricks General Wine Store, Vic
Cosy up by the fire. (Credit: Peter Foster)
Enjoy fine wine and seafood. (Credit: Peter Foster)
Merricks General Wine Store is filled with trinkets and wares. (Credit: Peter Foster)
A heartfelt seasonal menu and cellar door stocking nearby Elgee Park and Baillieu wines are the beginning of what you’ll find at Merricks General Store, tucked away on the Mornington Peninsula. While wine is their bread and butter, make sure to check out Traders Retail Store for local wares and lifestyle pieces. And Merricks House – where you’re sure to leave with a stash of tea towels, fig nut paste, spiced nuts, cuvées bruts and full-bodied olive oils.
This true-as-they-come general store in South Australia’s Clare Valley wine region makes your everyday post run a delight. Find fresh bread, books, tasty tucker and juices, along with eclectic goods and biodynamic produce from Penobscot Farm at the Providore.
Address: 29 Main N Rd, Watervale SA 5452
Bowhill General Store, SA
You could arrive by horse and cart if that’s your jam. But Bowhill General Store on Chucka Bend Road also offers easy access by road or river (the mighty Murray no less). Those enjoying a houseboating holiday can pop in for fuel or emergency cans of baked beans and bottles of booze. Road-trippers can also refuel on coffee and cake while sitting in the sun-drenched courtyard. The general store is old school in its offerings – fuel, gas, ice, beer, spirits and fishing gear – but also up to the minute with its sleek, modern design. Find them on Instagram at @bowhillgeneral.
Address: 28 Chucka Bend Rd, Bowhill SA 5238
The Hearth of Chudleigh, Tas
The Hearth of Chudleigh is a local institution. (Credit: Tourism Tasmania/Adrian Cook)
With its original floorboards, exposed beams and fireplace, the Hearth of Chudleigh doffs its cap to its storied past. The store has been quietly chugging along in Chudleigh since 1886 and, 139 years on, remains a community mainstay as an emporium selling everything from books to antiques. At the centre of the Hearth of Chudleigh is a theatrette space that doubles as a stage fostering local talent and live performances. While you may no longer be able to pick up pantry items for a penny, the mixed business in the ‘Village of Roses’ sells specialty goods such as jam made using locally sourced rosehip.
Address: 60 Sorell St, Chudleigh TAS 7304
Morris Store, Tas
Swing by Morris General Store. (Credit: Tourism Tasmania/Nick Osborne)
Should you find yourself in Tasmania’s coastal town of Swansea, do make sure to drop into Morris Store. This self-proclaimed ‘IGA store with a whole lot more’ has been open since 1838, when John Alexander Graham – the man who wrote the good part of the Tasmanian Local Government Act – established a trade site for his wares. Nowadays, visitors can pick up daily essentials and view relics of the past in the store’s display room.
Address: 13/15 Franklin St, Swansea TAS 7190
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Kandanga Farm Store, Qld
Kandanga Farm Store brings people together.
Pick up gourmet goods. (Credit: Visit Sunshine Coast)
A visit to the Kandanga Farm Store in the Sunshine Coast hinterland is quintessential when on a road trip around Queensland. The farm store doubles as a roadside attraction serving customers from all walks of life, from local farmers to interstate visitors in search of vitamin D. While there are some wares you might expect on the shelves – such as eggs, honey and bread – you will also find specialty goods like locally roasted coffee and organic beef. Van life never looked so good.
Address: 93 Main St, Kandanga QLD 4570
Myalup Beach General Store, WA
Myalup Beach General Store oozes coastal charm. (Credit: Bianca Turri)
Hit the waves, then head to Myalup Beach General Store, the ideal post-surf pit-stop. Located on Myalup Beach Road opposite the Myalup Beach Caravan Park in WA’s Harvey Region, this is where local grommets and weekender families come for trusty takeaway bites, creamy milkshakes and coffee. While you’re at it, stock up on fruit and veg, and bait – the guys at the till dish out some great fishing advice, too, if you ask ’em.
Address: 15-17 Myalup Beach Rd, Myalup WA 6220
General Store Melville, WA
General Store Melville has all your daily essentials and more.
At the crack of dawn, the good people at the General Store Melville are up and ready to open shop at 6am so early-rising locals can get their fix of barista coffee and the freshest farm produce delivered that morning. The shop is best known for its stacked rolls and refreshing açai, with premium fruit and veggies available too.
Address: 6/446 Marmion St, Myaree WA 6154
Tharwa Country Store, ACT
After being owned by the Jeffery family for a century, Tharwa Country Store is soon to welcome an era of new ownership with the family ready to pass on the baton. The weatherboard building along the Murrumbidgee River at the base of Mt Tennent, around 30 minutes out of Canberra, has serviced the local community for generations, along with being a popular stop for road-trippers, day-trippers and motorcyclists. Help keep this village landmark alive by stopping in for an ice cream or old-fashioned lolly bag.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and...
Carla Grossetti has written across print and digital for Australian Traveller and International Traveller for more than a decade and has spent more than two decades finding excuses to eat well and travel far. A prestigious News Corp cadetship...
Whether you’re after the perfect family holiday or after something a little more romantic, Accor has the stay for you.
Nothing sets the tone of your holiday quite like the accommodation you’ve chosen. After all, who can imagine a wellness retreat without an on-site day spa, or a sprawling family resort without a kids’ club (or babysitting service)? The truth is there are as many ways to holiday as there are types of travellers – but happily, there’s accommodation for every type of traveller.
Fun family holidays
A successful family holiday requires plenty of space – not to mention essential amenities, like a fully equipped kitchen and laundry, a central location near plenty of activities and attractions, and those all-important beaches. The following properties all fit the bill and were designed with kids in mind.
1. Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas
Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas is perfect for a family getaway.
Will it be a day of snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, horse riding along the golden sands of Cape Tribulation, or trying your hand at watersports at Four Mile Beach? For those checked in at Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas, the correct answer can only ever be ‘all of the above’ – but only if you can convince the kids to get out of the hotel’s lagoon-style swimming pool.
Featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments (some with private swim-up pool decks), the hotel is also conveniently located moments from the town centre.
2. Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour
Send the kids to Kid’s club, and head to the restaurant.
Kids’ club: the two words most parents of little ones long to hear. With Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, however, that’s only the beginning. This eco-friendly hotel (which is famous for its spacious rooms) pulls out all the stops, serving up a 10-metre outdoor pool, tennis court and a signature restaurant, The Ternary.
When the kids are screaming ‘Gold Coast theme parks’ but your body needs a little Byron Bay downtime, the answer arrives in the form of Mantra on Salt Beach Kingscliff, an airy resort located in The Tweed. Some of Queensland and New South Wales’s top beaches and attractions are only a short drive away.
Featuring one- and two-bedroom suites, a tennis court and a lagoon-style pool (plus a children’s wading pool), guests also have the option to rent a bike, book a treatment at the onsite day spa, or organise child-minding for date night.
Couples getaways
Remember those candlelit dinners when you first got together? Or what about those long walks along the beach and lazy sleep-ins – complete with room service?
If you’re still searching your memory, it’s time to hit reboot on romance by booking a hotel geared around good food, good times and more than a little privacy.
Top tip? Book the Romance Getaway Package, which includes a bottle of French champagne, breakfast in bed and a leisurely 2pm check out.
2. Mondrian Gold Coast
Enjoy classy surrounds at The Mondrian.
The Gold Coast suburb of Burleigh has all the ingredients needed for a romantic escape. And the best place to explore it all from is the stunning beachfront lifestyle precinct, Mondrian Gold Coast.
Stay in one of 208 accommodation options, including studios, suites, homes and houses. Taste your way through the levels of dining options, from authentic Italian and surf-to-plate seafood, and dive into the lively pool club. Or relax with a restorative treatment together at the spa.
City escapes
Nabbing a front-row seat to urban life (and momentarily feeling like a local) is as easy as checking into a city hotel and letting the streets around you set the pace for your next holiday.
Laidback retreats and coastal getaways will always have their place, but here you can step straight into galleries and boutique stores, roll into restaurants and tumble out of bars – all before watching the sun rise across a gleaming skyline.
A convenient location, of course, is key.
1. 25hours Hotel The Olympia
Book into Sydney’s newest boutique spot.
Hotels are all too often about retreating from the city they’re located in, but at Sydney’s newest boutique spot, 25hours Hotel Sydney The Olympia, a stay is all about immersing yourself in the area. Channelling the energy and creativity of its Oxford Street location, the hotel’s bold and playful design is a nod to the building’s arthouse beginnings as West’s Olympia Theatre. Guests can choose to stay in either a light and airy Dreamers room or the more dramatic Renegades option.
This is home to two stand-out bars (one of them on the rooftop) and a cafe serving Lune croissants, as well as The Palomar, a hot dining spot that serves as a love letter to the Mediterranean.
2. Hyde Melbourne Place
Be steps from Melbourne’s best attractions.
Some of Melbourne’s finest restaurants might be on Hyde Melbourne Place’s doorstep, but there’s no need for guests to venture out the front door for a bite to remember. The innovative brand’s first Australian offering is not only home to three distinctive venues (including an atmospheric rooftop restaurant), but is also the winner of a Michelin Key 2025.
Conveniently located in the east end of the city’s CBD within moments of the city’s iconic laneways, accommodation ranges from a soothing General Admission Queen to the spectacular Headliner Suite (many with balconies overlooking the city buzzing below). A high-end fitness space and Peach Pilates streamed straight to your in-room tablet are available too. Our top tip? Call ahead for a Sonna Brightening LED Face Mask and say yes to winding down with a meditative ritual designed to support skin health, clarity and calm.
Tranquil retreats
There’s no question 2026 is going to be your year, but it would be foolish to hard-launch this new and improved you without first taking some time to relax, rejuvenate and reflect on how you can find better balance in the year to come.
It’s time to treat yourself to a wellness getaway that’s designed around peace, natural beauty and more than a few spa treatments.
1. Pullman Bunker Bay Resort
Relax into Pullman Bunker Bay Resort.
Kangaroos at dawn, Margaret River wineries at noon and a long evening of life-affirming massage treatment come the late afternoon; there’s a lot to love about a stay at Pullman Bunker Bay Resort. And that’s without even touching on the resort’s secluded beachfront location.
Whether you check into a studio villa or a three-bedroom, three-bathroom villa, the views stretching out over the lake or garden will help you hit reset as you ponder the important questions: should you take a drive to nearby Geographe Bay to enjoy the dive of a lifetime, settle in for a long and lazy day in the resort’s heated infinity-edge pool, or make booking after booking at Vie Spa to try its extensive range of massages, facials and treatments?
The cherry on top? The resort has a complimentary – albeit seasonal – kids’ club, too.
2. Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge
Connect with yourself and nature at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge.
Welcome to the ultimate alpine wellness experience, a luxurious lodge nestled in the lush peaks of Tasmania’s World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, where ‘forest bathing’ takes on a whole new meaning.
Offering quick and easy access to some of the region’s most iconic walking trails (not to mention a window to our most striking flora and fauna), every cabin and suite at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge – some with their own fireplace – is designed to help you exhale.
Say yes to a wealth of included activities, such as an evening wildlife safari, a guided Crater Lake mountain walk or the Aboriginal Heritage & Bush Tucker tour. Unwind by retreating to the famous Waldheim Alpine Spa, where treatment rooms overlook rugged mountains and ancient forests.
Wellness has never looked – or felt – so luxurious.
