Collingwood, Melbourne for Ladies
By Jennifer Johnson
Melbourne is the world’s fourth most liveable city of 2025, partly because of its charming shops for women. Collingwood is full of them. Best known for its blokey football team, it has now left the 1980s far behind and become a sister strip to the female ‘little shops’ paradise known as Brunswick Street, Fitzroy (a two-minute walk away).
In fact, you can allow half a day to wander up and down Smith Street, the boutique-and-bookshop version of the old football suburb. The 86 tram will take you there, or walk the three kilometres, from the city.
Gaudy and Prim
Gaudy and Prim is the pride of feminine Collingwood. Unusual, pretty, nighties and candles, bedspreads and sponge bags, tablecloths and mugs, soap and socks, lampshades and jewellery – lure women in to buy presents for their sisters and themselves.
Open from 11.00am (Collingwood ladies emerge rather late) until 5.00pm, Gaudy and Prim is at 259 Smith Street.
The Coolest Street in the World?
The trouble with being dubbed ‘the coolest street in the world’ (Time Out magazine Melbourne) in 2021, is that you have to keep your reputation up. If anything, though, Smith Street has become even hipper. Count the beards in the beer barns.
Hippy Lunch
For a vegetarian hippy lunch from an old-school Collingwood classic, go to Friends of the Earth, which has an organic vegan café, as well as cardboard boxes full of organic fruit and vegetables. It’s at 312 Smith Street.
That Keith Haring Mural
If you want to photograph yourself against a unique Collingwood landmark, wander over to the Keith Haring Mural at 35 Johnson Street, which dates from his visit to Melbourne in 1984.
The Bookshop – Happy Valley
It’s hard to leave Happy Valley without a card, notebook, candle, map, record or … even a book. It’s at 294 Smith Street.
New York’s Condé Nast Traveller named Happy Valley as one of the “best shops around the world for last minute gifts”.
Lonely Planet: “It’s difficult to pigeonhole Happy Valley: it’s an art store, bookshop and gallery of wonderful things you didn’t realise you needed, from laugh-out-loud cards to beautiful jewellery and locally designed homewares. The well-curated range of books includes hardback art titles and a great selection of cookbooks from some of the city’s top restaurants and chefs.”
Designer Vintage – Swop
Go to Swop for Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Dior, Longchamp and Vuitton handbags . At 8 Peel Street, Collingwood. Shop online first. This is the best designer vintage in the suburb.
Want More Holiday Ideas? Try The Weekend Walk Show on Substack.
