The Best Shops in Bowral You Can't Miss

Discover the best shops in Bowral and surrounds with this complete guide to shopping in the vibrant Southern Highlands village.

The best shops in Bowral range from giant emporiums for antiques and collectables to shoe stores and shops dedicated to showcasing sheepskin. The village is a veritable bowerbird’s nest with Bowral shops selling everything from coins to jewellery, toys, Art Deco furniture, books, glassware and textiles sourced from around the world. If you’re a serious shopper and looking for something to do in the region, you’ll know that you can hit the high street here for hours.

Put together an itinerary based on our guide to the best shops in Bowral.

In short

If you only visit one shop in Bowral make it Bespoke Letterpress, where you can stock up on beautiful stationery and buy all your Christmas gifts in one hit.

Bowral antique shops

Those with an abiding fascination for everything from vintage furniture to unconventional art should follow our guide to some of the best antique shops in Bowral and beyond.

Dirty Janes Bowral

Expect objets d’art, antiques, collectables and curios for the curious that span the past century at Dirty Janes , a destination for collectors with limited time. Dirty Janes is such a good hunting ground for treasures that you could just visit this one-stop vintage shop in the Highlands and be happy with your finds. All up, there are more than 80 independent dealers, decorators and upcyclers at Dirty Janes, Bowral.

Address: 13 Banyette St, Bowral

The Bronte Tram

Visit one of the best cafes in Bowral for coffee and start plotting your plan of attack. You will find everything from brass candlesticks, chandeliers, wedding chests, leather suitcases, vintage furniture and stunning silverware at The Bronte Tram , which sources its collectables from around the globe.

Address: Shop 2/379 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Grandpa’s Shed, Fitzroy Falls

Remember what it was like to get lost in Grandpa’s Shed? Well, Grandpa called and he wants his stuff back. Grandpa’s Shed in Fitzroy Falls is an essential stop for road-trippers who like to fossick. The eclectic and luxuriant mix of junk and ephemera and carefully curated clutter is not for your Marie Kondo kinds. It’s perfectly imperfect and worth the 20-minute drive from Bowral.
Address: 1353 Nowra Road, Fitzroy Falls

Bookshops in Bowral

The number of bookshops in and around Bowral says something about the denizens of the village, which once served as a rural retreat for Sydney’s landed gentry.  Plan your visit to coincide with the annual Southern Highlands Writers’ Festival .

Berkelouw Book Barn

Although it’s technically in Berrima, 11 minutes from Bowral, Berkelouw Book Barn has to be top of the list of best bookshops in Bowral. As well as a stunning collection of secondhand, rare, antiquarian and contemporary books, the storied Berkelouw Book Barn is a destination in its own right for its adjacent restaurant and accommodation.

The Bookshop Bowral

The Bookshop Bowral is an institution for its carefully curated selection of books written by culturally diverse authors from around the world. Check the calendar of events hosted by the book shop, which schedules in-store signings and talks by authors during the annual Southern Highlands Writers’ Festival.

Address: 309 Bong Bong Street, Bowral

The Phoenix Bookstore

So named after a fire destroyed its original premises, The Phoenix Bookstore has started a new chapter selling new and old books from its new location tucked in behind Bowral Post Office. Join the steady stream of shoppers browsing and chatting with the staff at this cosy bookstore who, as dedicated bookworms, will help you find something that takes your fancy.

Address: Lamond Lane, Bowral

Books Ever After

Everything from fairy porn to romance novels has been blowing up on BookTok. At the forefront of the trend is Books Ever After , run by bestselling romance author and Books by the Bridge Author Events founder, Kat T. Masen. Find one-of-a-kind bookish merchandise, limited editions, book events, and personally signed paperbacks to add some spice to your next book club.
Address: Shop 4, The Grand Arcade. 291-297 Bong Bong Street.

Boutique shops in Bowral

Shopping is one of the best things to do in Bowral thanks in part to the creative community who call the Southern Highlands home. There are fabulous one-of-a-kind boutiques, hipped-up homeware stores and quirky op shops dotted around the main street’s jumble of Bowral shops.

Wilson & Dorset

It’s a much more pleasing experience to run your hands over the woolly wares at Wilson & Dorset in Bowral than to shop online. The NZ brand with the cult following chose Bowral as its flagship Australian store because of its proximity to the countryside. Head here for everything from designer floor rugs to laptop covers, cushions and accessories.

Address: 363 Bong Bong Street

Burnt Co

Delight your olfactory senses with a visit to Burnt Co . This local gem creates sustainable home fragrances delivered via a range of candles, diffusers and room sprays. The Bowral shop has the market cornered for sustainable candles complete with a return and burn system for refill options. Or take a candle-making class to create something unique for your home.
Address: 5 Bong Bong St, Bowral

SoHi

Step into SoHi and be dazzled. Is it a boutique, a tasting room, a jewellery store? Well, the main product is alcohol, but this isn’t like any bottle-o you’ve set foot in. Sample local gins, vodkas. Buy some Red Pony Negroni. Or choose from martinis straight from the freezer. You can also get uber bougie and use the refill fountain. Private tastings are also on offer for small groups.
Address: Shop 3b/391-397 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Bespoke Letterpress

This couture letterpress stationery store was once part of The Press Shop, now housing one of the best cafes in Bowral. But Bespoke Letterpress became so popular it had to move to larger premises on Bowral’s main street. Bespoke Letterpress is paradise for lovers of pretty and practical stationery such as diaries, planners, calendars and more.

Address: Shop 2B, 310-312 Bong Bong St, Bowral

HEM

fashion finds at HEM, Bowral — Shop up-and-coming designer goods and contemporary homewares.

Looking for something funky or flouncy? You’ll find it here at HEM , which has a whimsical mix of local and global brands that make a fashion-forward statement. Forget fast fashion. HEM has managed to lean toward up-and-coming designers and contemporary homewares that are stand-alone standouts.

Address: 1/23 Boolwey St, Bowral

Susie Anderson Home

Sip coffee with your friends so you’re well-fuelled before your foray into the Suzie Anderson Home store. Take the Style Quiz ahead of your visit to help provide tailor-made tips for choosing everything from gift sets to tablecloths, homewares, fashion and furniture.

Address: 409-411 Argyle St, Moss Vale

Bare Body Beauty Co.

Bare Body Beauty Co. is a local favourite, known for its handmade natural skincare, body care, and bath essentials. With two beautiful Bowral locations, both stores invite you to slow down, test the scrubs at the playstation, and find your new skin favourites. Everything is made by hand in the Southern Highlands using pure, plant-based ingredients that feel as good as they look.

High Street location: Shop 21, 310-312 Bong Bong Street, Bowral

Dirty Janes location: 15 Banyette Street, Bowral

The Shoe Merchant

Birkenstocks, Ecco, Emu Slippers, Floresheim, Frankie4, Louenhide and Rollie Nation are just a few of the beautifully designed brands stocked at The Shoe Merchant in Bowral. Fans of designer footwear travel from all over Sydney to Bowral to find shoes designed for everything from dancing to walking.

Bowral markets and op shops

There are plenty of upmarket stores to browse in Bowral. But it’s the affordable op shops and stores with vintage vibes that offer the biggest buzz for treasure hunters in Bowral. The Bowral Market is also a better-than-garden-variety market too. In addition to the quality bric-a-brac and artisan wares, it showcases the State’s bounty of fresh produce.

Bowral Market

Bowral Market , held on the second Saturday of each month, sells food, clothing, jewellery, plants, arts and crafts. The pet-friendly market sources a lot of fresh produce from the Southern Highlands. Hot tip: Stock your eco bag with a kilo of Robertson potatoes, a jar of Chapo’s Raw Honey and relishes from Lame Duck Foods.

Address: Bowral Bowling Club, 40 Shepherd St, Bowral

Timeless Fashion & Furniture

It’s all about the thrill of the hunt at The Southern Highlands Community Hospice Shop where you are likely to find everything from a powder-blue safari suit from the ‘70s to a military-style jacket, pair of cowboy boots, Portico clock or framed print signed by a local artist.

Address: 315 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Father Chris Riley Op Shop

Hard-core antique collectors and up-cyclers will enjoy rummaging for a bargain at this op shop . Father Chris Riley supports young people who are trying to turn their lives around so they can feel even more righteous about forgoing fast fashion while in pursuit of that cricket cardigan or glittering jumpsuit.

Address: 8 Bundaroo St, Bowral

Bowral Crafts Unlimited

Craft skills of yesteryear are still thriving thanks to the charitable nans, aunties of the Southern Highlands. Their wonderful handiwork is on show at Bowral Crafts Unlimited , the collective serving the Wingecarribee community since 1972. More than 60 volunteers work to craft wares that are sold to support community services such as the local hospital and Rural Fire Service.

Address: 22 Wingecarribee St, Corbet Plaza, Bowral

From serene natural beauty to vibrant nightlife, with plenty of arts and culture in between, the NSW Central Coast has been enjoying a serious glow up.

Just one hour from Sydney, the Central Coast has long been the perfect seaside getaway. And with its ECO Destination certification with a focus on sustainability, it’s a trip travellers can feel good about, too. Recently, new and exciting openings have turned the Central Coast into a place where incredible natural beauty is still on the table, but so is a vibrant and sophisticated arts, dining and nightlife scene.

Find out what’s new to discover on the Central Coast.

1. Gosford’s glow up

room at voco gosford — Book into voco and experience the best of Gosford.

Long-time Central Coast lovers will hardly recognise Gosford these days. While always boasting gorgeous water views, a range of revamps and new openings have turned it into a busy hub of arts and culture, with an increasingly diverse and vibrant nightlife.

Landmark lifestyle hotel voco Gosford is the perfect home base for a Central Coast getaway. At this IHG hotel overlooking sparkling Brisbane Water, guests can spend sunny days soaking in the rooftop pool (or just sipping a cocktail beside it). When it comes to meals, you can enjoy multiple venues serving up everything from modern Australian fare to fine-dining Japanese.

Venture out to lay eyes on the Central Coast’s first permanent Moving Image Gallery (MIG) . Opened this year inside the Gosford Regional Gallery , the immersive space is a showcase of screen-based and digital art. While at the gallery, wander around the Edogawa Commemorative Garden, a traditional Japanese strolling garden complete with teahouse, koi pond and an ornamental bridge.

Meanwhile, the revamped Gosford Regional Library has even more than books to discover. Now, it’s one of the best in the southern hemisphere – find exhibitions, historical archives and community initiatives for all ages at this perfect family-friendly escape.

2. Newcomers to the dining scene

table full of food at Amarilla restaurant terrigal — Treat yourself to sundowners and snacks at Amarilla.

The Central Coast has long been the perfect destination for gourmands, with everything from casual eats to fine dining elevating the local offerings. And three new destinations have been added to the map.

Amarilla at The Haven in Terrigal is the perfect seaside venue for sundowners, with blissed-out beats providing the soundtrack. Book in for golden hour and choose bites from a Spanish tapas menu made for sharing. Do as the locals do and wash it all down with sangria – the Sunday Sangria Sessions have become a local institution.

Also in Terrigal, Little Miss has brought a premium Mediterranean menu to the waterfront. Try the wagyu tartare with Greek caviar or butter-poached lobster and tomato bisque, paired with inventive cocktails and a handpicked selection of Lebanese wines.

Over in Ettalong, Bar Toto is perfect for pre- or post-dinner drinks. This award-winning cocktail bar is known for its creative concoctions, along with craft beer, wine and antipasti platters to snack on. The interior sets the mood, with dim lighting and wooden furnishings.

3. New Central Coast experiences

winemaker at Firescreek Botanical Winery — Book an experience at Firescreek Botanical Winery.

It’s entirely possible (and recommended) to spend a Central Coast getaway relaxing on one of its many peaceful and pristine beaches. But for those who crave more, there’s a long list of options to keep you busy.

Pop into the iconic Australian Reptile Park to see the new Weigel Venom Centre, a state-of-the-art facility that’s home to over 200 of the country’s most venomous snakes.

Get out on the water with Sail Central Coast , which offers 20 years of expertise in yacht charters. Book the Sunset Sail & Dine yacht charter for a private afternoon cruising the waterways of Bouddi National Park and Brisbane Water, stopping at Anchor on Hardys for a two-course meal with a cocktail.

For something completely different, Firescreek Botanical Winery is now offering an Aboriginal Storytelling and Wine Tasting Experience. Learn about local cultures, stories and traditions from an Aboriginal Elder, then enjoy a botanical-inspired wine tasting led by a local winemaking expert.

4. Central Coast accommodation

view from a cottage at Noonaweena — Sleep in the hinterland at Noonaweena.

There’s simply too much to experience on the Central Coast to only stay for one day. Turn your trip into a relaxing getaway by the beach.

Allawah , a retreat on the banks of the Hawkesbury River, is accessible only by boat. This secluded two-bedroom cottage is the perfect place to unwind, allowing you to spend lazy days fishing, kayaking, paddling or unwinding with a book on your own private jetty.

In the Kulnura hinterland, Noonaweena features a range of accommodation styles, from a luxe glamping bell tent to cottages and a treetop suite. It’s a leader in green travel, with 10 years of certification from Eco Tourism Australia. Relax in the onsite wellness centre or get active on various courts and in the gym facilities.

To stay by the ocean at Toowoon Bay, book into Kim’s Beachside Resort . This adults-only property offers a luxury escape nestled within a sub-tropical rainforest. Along with 36 private timber bungalows, indulge in massages or reiki treatments at the dedicated spa, or stop by the cocktail bar and à la carte restaurant.

5. Shopping on the Central Coast

Umina’s Centred Ceramics central coast — Try your hand at Umina’s Centred Ceramics’ pottery courses.

For those after unique trinkets, handmade treasures and beautiful homewares, the Central Coast is a haven.

Markets on the Central Coast have a special flavour. Wander the Umina Beach Markets at twilight, where you’ll find small businesses from the local areas, and the Norah Head Ocean View Markets , where you can soak up good food, live music and artisan finds by the beach after sunset. ‘Tis the season for the Christmas twilight edition of the Avoca Beachside Markets, celebrating the season with pop-up bars, tasty treats and plenty of unique gift options from local artists and producers.

Galleria Ettalong has also added to the Central Coast’s recent makers and creators renaissance, wrapping cinemas, a dining precinct and over 40 boutique shops into one area.

Sign up for a pottery course at Umina’s Centred Ceramics , or peruse the shop for a range of one-of-a-kind pottery made on the premises for a special souvenir.

For more eclectic arts and homewares, pop into Blue Bird Collective Co . This marketplace supports over 35 small, local and handmade businesses, artists and creatives. Take the time to check out fashion, jewellery and homewares that won’t be found anywhere else.

Start planning your coastal getaway at lovecentralcoast.com .

A guide to 19 of the best shops in Bowral and surrounds