16 must-visit record stores in Australia

Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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These analogue-first stores and bars should be on every Australian music fan’s radar.

Whether you’re dipping your toe into the world of LPs or have years of collecting under your belt, everyone is welcome in the world of vinyl. And with World Record Store Day on 20 April each year, it’s our time to hit the decks.

From cafe-meet-record stores to listening bars stocking enviable vinyl collections, here are our top picks of the best record shops in Australia.

Victoria

1. Greville Records

Just off Chapel Street in this upmarket portion of South Yarra in Melbourne is Greville Records: which is more about edgy vintage than the surrounding trendy boutiques. Stop by here for a huge range of new and second-hand vinyl, uber-cool posters and vintage gig flyers.

the exterior of Greville Records near boutique shops
Explore edgy vinyl at Greville Records.

Address: 183 Gertrude St, Fitzroy Vic

2. L’Espresso Ballarat

This cafe-meets-record shop in Ballarat serves up brunch, lunch and music to locals and travellers.

Smash a delectable eggs benny before heading to their wall-to-wall stash of records and flicking through their collection. Just make sure to wash any leftover yolk off your fingers first…

the records on display at L'Espresso Ballarat
Flick through their amazing collection.

Address: 417 Sturt St, Ballarat Vic

3. Rocksteady Records

After some local vinyl? Rocksteady Records in the Melbourne CBD stocks plenty in the way of Australasian tunes, alongside international reggae, funk, soul, jazz and more.

the vibrant interior of Rocksteady Records with vinyl on display
Stock up on some local vinyl at Rocksteady Records.

Address: Mitchell House, Level 1, 358 Lonsdale St, Melbourne Vic

NSW

4. Repressed Records

A Sydney institution smack bang in the alternative, nonconformist neighbourhood of Newtown.

the store exterior of Repressed Records
Repressed Records is a purveyor of independent and underground music. (Image: Destination NSW)

Step in to peruse Repressed Records’ new and second-hand collection of independent and lesser-known Australian vinyl, as well as high-quality Japanese pressings. Music zines, magazines and tapes are also stocked.

a person browsing through vinyl records at Repressed Records
Discover lesser-known vinyl treasures at Repressed Records. (Image: Destination NSW)

Address: 413 King St, Newtown NSW

5. TITLE store

Among the boutique shops, bars and cafes of Crown Street, you will find this informal and well-curated bookstore that, along with poster art and eclectic group games, has a carefully picked selection of contemporary and vintage records.

the TITLE record store in Surry Hills
Hunt down records at TITLE in Surry Hills.

TITLE also has a shop at Barangaroo.

a look inside the record store at TITLE, Bangaroo
TITLE Barangaroo has all the classics.

Address: 501 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW and Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW

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6. Abicus Records

This Newcastle local has an assembled stock of unique jewellery, Birkenstocks and odds and ends like tarot cards and art journals. But obsessive analogue fans will be drawn in particular to the dedicated area of the shop with limited editions, new releases and classic vinyl.

a look inside Abicus Records, Cooks Hill NSW
Get lost in Abicus Records.

Address: 103 Darby St, Cooks Hill NSW

Tasmania

7. Suffragette Records

Suffragette Records is a passionate ode to the power and talent of female musicians in a tiny, well-loved space in southern Hobart. Open since 2022, the owners work hard to counter the male-dominated industry of music with their collection of singles and albums created by women.

an all-female catalogue on display at Suffragette
Suffragette celebrates music by women with an all-female catalogue.

Address: 52 Sandy Bay Rd, Battery Point Tas

8. Tommy Gun

New records, second-hand and bargain low-cost vinyl collections, band t-shirts, turntable parts and everything in between. Whatever your vintage music needs, Tommy Gun in the Tassie capital has it all.

vinyl records on display at Tommy Gun, Hobart
Tommy Gun has all your vintage music needs covered.

Address: 127 Elizabeth St, Hobart, Tas

Western Australia

9. Astral Weeks Listening Bar

The concept of a listening bar (or HiFi bar) may have started in Japan, but the last few years have seen the unique nightlife design spread everywhere from Hong Kong to New York – and now, Australia.

In Perth’s Chinatown, Astral Weeks provides this all-analogue listening bar, where customers sit and listen quietly to the staff-selected record, sipping high-class wines and cocktails as the music plays in a shared cultural experience.

Address: Shop 12/60/66 Roe St, Northbridge WA

10. The Record Finder

A Western Australian cultural centre that has been selling and buying records across the world since the ‘60s. Today, there are thousands and thousands to choose from in The Record Finder’s two-storey collection. Visit to browse their rare, original pressings, used and new records, or call to request specific items.

The Record Finder signage, Fremantle WA
Browse The Record Finder’s catalogue.

Address: 43 High St, Fremantle WA

Queensland

11. Wax Espresso Record Store and Cafe

Why rush an enjoyable afternoon poring over records when you can kick back with a coffee at the same time? As well as caffeine and pastries, the Sunshine Coast’s Wax Espresso Record Store and Cafe is particularly known for its electric selection: techno, house and ambient vinyl in particular.

guests inside Wax Espresso Record Store and Cafe
Hit up Wax Espresso Record Store and Cafe for pastries and vinyl.

Address: 35 Duporth Ave, Maroochydore Qld

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12. The Record Exchange

Claimed to be the largest record store in Australia, The Record Exchange is hidden away in a laneway in the Brisbane city centre. Its crowded collection of second-hand vinyl is augmented with CDs, posters, go and even the limited nineties retro-esque VHS collection of concerts.

Address: 1/65 Adelaide St, Brisbane Qld

13. Ruby My Dear

A vinyl listening bar meets jazz cafe meets live music performance space – this time north of Brisbane. The izakaya-style cuisine at Ruby My Dear highlights the Japanese origin of listening bars, with pork katsu, pickled mackerel with wasabi and soy and sake negronis.

the dimly lit interior of Ruby My Dear
Sit down for live music at Ruby My Dear.

Address: 12 Longland St, Newstead Qld

Northern Territory

14. Air Raid Records

Looking for tracks up in the Top End? The Darwin-based neighbourhood store of Air Raid Records is not known just for its second-hand vinyl.

people browsing vinyls inside Air Raid Records, Woolner NT
Air Raid Records is Darwin’s only dedicated second-hand record store.

It also hosts kid-friendly live local DJ sessions and the chance for the public to practice their wax-spinning skills.

the record for spinning at Air Raid Records, Woolner NT
Spin the record for freebies.

Address: Air Raid Arcade, 48/12 Charlton Ct, Woolner NT

South Australia

15. Clarity Records

With special deals for Adelaide artists who want to stock their releases, as a result, Clarity has an enormous variety of local musicians in their shop. Their well-organised collection in their bright central city store is complemented by tote bags featuring bands, and books written by (and about) musicians.

a look inside Clarity Records in Adelaide
Clarity has an enormous variety of local musicians.

Address: 60 Pulteney St, Adelaide SA

16. Streetlight Adelaide

Come for the records, stay for… well, the records. But among the hoard of culture at Streetlight, there are plenty of other treasures for you to discover. With arthouse films, books of poetry and musician memoirs, you might find it hard to leave this independently-owned store.

vinyl records on display at Streetlight Adelaide
You’ll find it hard to leave Streetlight Adelaide.

Address: Shop 2/15 Vaughan Place, Adelaide SA

Kate Bettes
Kate Bettes is a freelance travel writer. Whether having a picnic in Vietnamese jungle with new friends, or partying in the back of a limousine in Hollywood, Kate’s experiences have left her with the sneaking suspicion that the best travel memories happen when you least expect. It’s this feeling - and how to get it - that she loves to write about.
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This surprising regional town is making its mark on the culinary world

(Image: Visit Griffith)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    With more than 60 nationalities calling it home and a century of Italian influence shaping its paddocks and plates, Griffith is a regional Australian town with serious culinary cred.

    It might feel surprising to learn that Griffith is one of Australia’s leading food destinations. In-the-know Italians have understood this for generations, drawn to the Riverina region’s fertile soils that reminded them of the terrain they’d left behind more than a century ago. These days, Griffith supplies much of the nation’s pantry: 95 per cent of Australia’s prunes come from the region, it’s the country’s largest citrus-growing area, and it’s a leading producer of almonds and walnuts. Even the pickles in every McDonald’s burger nationwide are produced in Griffith. This is not just a farming town; the Griffith food scene is leading the way.

    Here, culinary confidence is rooted in migration. Italian families began arriving from 1913, with a second wave settling after the Second World War. Today, Griffith has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry of any Local Government Area in Australia. Add to that more than 60 nationalities represented across the community and you have a town where food is driven not by trends, but by tradition. Griffith’s motto, ‘Taste our culture’, isn’t marketing spin; it’s the reality.

    Where the vines tell a story

    A hand pouring wine into a glass, with a table filled with food.
    Uncover the stories behind every glass. (Image: Destination NSW)

    The Riverina has long been dubbed the food bowl of Australia, but it’s also a wine region that remains largely under the radar. What sets Griffith apart is that every one of its wineries is family-owned, many spanning generations.

    Calabria Family Wines is one of the region’s standard-bearers. The Calabria story began in 1945 when Francesco Calabria planted his first vines; today, the family continues to shape the region’s identity while also stewarding the historic McWilliam’s Wines brand. McWilliam’s was the first winery to plant vines in the area, and its barrel-shaped cellar door – complete with a soaring stained-glass window – remains one of the most distinctive in regional NSW.

    Yarran Wines, run by the Brewer family, showcases estate-grown fruit across Mediterranean varietals that thrive in the warm climate. Expect bold reds and textured whites that reflect both heritage and innovation.

    Set inside the old ambulance station, Harvest HQ is owned and operated by the Riverina Winemakers Association and pours a rotating selection of local wines under one roof. It also features spirits from The Aisling Distillery, reinforcing the region’s collaborative approach to craft.

    At the table

    A flat lay of a steak.
    Dine where tradition meets a bold new generation. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    If the vineyards tell one story, the dining rooms tell another. Griffith’s restaurants are where tradition and next-gen confidence meet.

    Zecca Handmade Italian occupies the former Rural Bank building, an imposing Art Deco landmark from the late 1930s. ‘Zecca’ means money print, and the name is a nod to the Zecca di Venezia in Venice. Here, find the Riverina’s only producer of dried artisan pasta and traditional Italian recipes. Importantly, the growers and producers supplying the kitchen are listed on the menu as a transparent expression of the region’s farm-to-table ethos.

    Established in 1977 and still run by the Vico family, La Scala puts authentic Italian cuisine on centre stage. Expect handmade pasta, traditional wood-fired pizzas, slow-cooked sauces and dishes that follow recipes guarded like family heirlooms. For something more contemporary, Bull & Bell in Gem Hotel is a shrine to the Euro-style steakhouse that works closely with local farmers and artisans to showcase Riverina produce.

    And then there are the institutions. Bertoldo’s Pasticceria, now in its third generation, draws locals daily for cannoli, biscotti, crostoli and house-made gelato, alongside classic sausage rolls and potato pies. La Piccola Grosseria feels like stepping into an Italian alimentari, its shelves lined with continental goods that wouldn’t feel out of place in Puglia.

    Meanwhile, Limone celebrates local and seasonal produce across breakfast and lunch menus, enriched by the produce and stories of Piccolo Family Farm. Find pastries and sourdough baked daily, and pop into the onsite retail pantry for products from regional producers – including the Piccolo family’s own wine range, Caro Piccolo.

    From the source

    A plated Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod dish.
    Taste world-renowned Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, straight from its source. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    Behind every menu is a producer. Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod is perhaps Griffith’s most high-profile export; the brand’s Murray cod and Aquna Gold Murray Cod Caviar have achieved global recognition. In October 2024, Aquna presented its products to King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the NSW Premier’s Community BBQ in Parramatta. Impressed by the producer’s sustainable farming practices, the King requested the cod be sent to Buckingham Palace – not bad for a fish farm in regional NSW.

    Mandolé Orchard champions almonds grown on a family-run farm, transforming them into almond milk and value-added products. At Morella Grove, olives are pressed into premium olive oil and pantry staples that speak to Griffith’s Mediterranean heart. These producers are not peripheral; they are central to the town’s culinary ecosystem. Learn about local sustainable farming practices during a farm tour.

    Mark your calendar

    A woman walking past a food mural, something you can spot during A Taste of Italy Griffith.
    Plan your visit around A Taste of Italy Griffith. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    For a town that helps stock Australia’s supermarkets, Griffith has remained curiously absent from the national dining conversation. That’s beginning to change. If you’ve been searching for a regional food destination with substance, heritage and a clear sense of identity, you’ll find it here in the Riverina, right under your nose.

    Time your visit to the Riverina region to coincide with A Taste of Italy Griffith, held every August. This week-long celebration of Italian heritage and culture offers a wide range of Italian-inspired events and experiences to enjoy. Expect long-table lunches, wine tasting experiences, cooking classes and a Makers in the Piazza market. The headline event is a ticketed long lunch – Festa delle Salsicce (Salami Festival) – where winners of the best salami are announced.

    Start planning your foodie getaway at visitgriffith.com.au.