If you want old kookaburras, you’ve come to the right part of New South Wales. The Blue Mountains is Old, Old, New South Wales.
Ask locals in the Blue Mountains for the best vintage shop and they will recommend The Victory at Blackheath immediately. Why? The choice. There are over 50 traders here.
The Victory Theatre Antique Centre also has a café in the foyer, pressed metal ceilings, Art Deco style and a vast range of large (pricey) and small (affordable) collectables which will easily take you an hour to explore.
Down the Stairs to Retro Heaven
The Victory is heaving with treasure on two floors. Go down the stairs to retro heaven, then back upstairs to make your mind up, about that fringed lamp.
You’ll need that pot of tea in the café, afterwards, but there are bargains here as well as rare beauties you may want to put on your birthday, Christmas or wedding list.
The $775 Pine Screen
In a world of IKEA, Harvey Norman and Freedom, you probably never thought you’d need a bush-inspired, pine screen. And yet here it is.
Australiana has seen a design revival in the 2020’s thanks to the new breed of fabric creators who are using gum leaves, native birds, possums, kookaburras and gum nuts for inspiration. And – nobody is making screens with this level of craftsmanship any more.
Laughing kookaburra ornaments are also here. They were Australia’s answer to china shepherdesses and part of the boom in national pride, in the late 20th century.
Yes, Eighties Fashion
Individual stallholders put the look together for you, here, on glamorous dummies. -before you can even mutter the words ‘Joan Collins’.
The frocks, jackets and hats here are in excellent condition and the Eighties is alive and well downstairs.
Bathroom Shell Bowls
From pretty little urchins to more expensive single seashells, The Victory has plenty of baskets to sort through, for your bathroom shelf or a glass bowl. If you are interested in making your new house a home, this is well worth a day trip from Sydney.
The Glass Bottle Stash
Just one for a vase, or several, backlit on a glass shelf – take your pick of old Australian bottles and jars. Some are pharmaceutical. Others held a beer, back in the day.
Suitcases and Picnic Baskets
The Blue Mountains has always been a holiday destination for people from Sydney, or a country home for people who love travelling, abroad.
This might explain the number of battered old leather suitcases and nicely preserved picnic baskets in the shop.
Lined in gingham, often with plastic plates and cups, these old picnic sets can go for as little as $49. Use them to stack for storage at home or fill them with sandwiches and take them to Katoomba for the day.
Peacocks and Crystals
There is also room for the exotic here. Stuffed peacocks (oh dear) and large amethyst crystals to clear the atmosphere, offer a different look altogether.
The alarm clocks from Seventies Germany will need a check before purchase. Some may be better as ornaments rather than wake-up calls.
In an age of Apple watches, though, these are highly collectable.
Australian Women’s Weekly Kitchen Chic
Cakes, Scones, Biscuits – stashed to tempt, in a proper 1960’s Australian Women’s Weekly recipe kitchen – are part of the housewife retro chic/shabby chic styling in store.
It’s hard to find these any more in good, clean condition. And even harder to find anybody who doesn’t immediately wish they were filled with Anzacs, Rock Cakes and Pumpkin Scones.
Sydney Sixties/Seventies Labels
The real prizes here are Carla Zampatti or Merivale, but less well-known Sydney labels are still worth trying on.
Back when nylon was the new wow-factor fabric, along with apple green, bright orange and banana yellow – these were the frocks to have.
The Victory Theatre had its final screening on 21st May 1960, going out with a bang, screening the mountains premiere, together with the Savoy, of ‘On The Beach’. And it may well be that some of the clothes you see, were worn at that premiere. It’s that kind of place.
If you prefer older pieces, there is French jet jewellery here; Art Deco necklaces and Lalique. Mid-century modern furniture is upstairs and they can organise delivery.
