Where to indulge in a little shopping in Orange & surrounds

Fashionable finds 

No trip to Orange is complete without a visit to The Sonic, a vast concept store inside the historic Masonic Temple building that’s bursting with brightly colourful art, cushions, linens, candles, beach umbrellas, glassware and more. Owner Pip Brett lives by the motto “more is more, less is a bore”. And her technicolour ethos will inspire you to brighten up your own space. There’s also a dedicated fashion section, filled with high-end boutique brands from around the world. 

The White Place takes a more restrained approach, offering a mostly neutral colour palette of rugs, textiles, light fixtures, furniture, art and women’s clothing. You could spend the whole day in the ​Mary & Tex Curious Emporium. A true labour of love from a pair of Orange locals, the store stocks everything from underwear to wall clocks, furniture to flowers. It’s the perfect place to buy a gift or pick up something you never knew you needed. 

​​​Cint Boutique stocks luxe labels from Australian and international designers like Camilla, Viktoria & Woods, Morrison and Veja. You’ll find more well-known Australian labels at Danielle Louise, with Bec & Bridge, Ginger & Smart, Bassike, Camilla & Marc, Manning Cartel and more on the racks. Hawkes General Store is worth a visit for its range of too-cute kids’ clothes, alongside women’s fashion and homewares. And for some true country chic, pick up a handmade belt, bag or wallet at Angus Barrett Saddlery and Leather Goods. 

Cint Boutique, Orange

Boutiques in surrounding villages 

Nearby, tiny Millthorpe is big on style, with many of the charming 19th-century buildings converted into boutique shops selling designer clothes, jewellery, local artwork, homewares and antiques. Visit Millthorpe Blue for high-end women’s fashion and accessories, Plants n Pretty Pieces for quirky paintings and home decor, or The Salon des Refuses for vintage treasures. In historic Carcoar, Tomolly stocks exquisite handmade Italian clothing, one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces, lush candles and leather accessories. 

In Canowindra, Finns Store is set inside a building dating back to 1887, which was once the home of the village’s first store. In its modern incarnation, it’s an eclectic shop full of interior design pieces, fashion accessories and quirky gifts. There’s also coffee, food and wine tasting to round out the shopping experience. Canowindra’s famously crooked main street is dotted with other interesting shops, like the Canowindra Trading Post, The Blue Bowerbird and ​Fashion on Gaskill. 

Exploring the heritage-listed streets of Canowindra

To market, to market 

On the second Saturday of the month between March and November, all of the top farmers, growers, makers and creators of the Orange region gather together for a most delicious morning. The Orange Farmers Market is justifiably famous, and it’s a place where locals and visitors alike come for coffee, breakfast and provisions. The stalls and their offerings change regularly, but there’s always a huge range of fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, olive oil, nuts, chocolate, cheese, jams, chutneys, plants, wine and flowers. 

The Millthorpe Markets are held twice a year – on the first Sunday in April and December – with more than 250 stalls packed onto the town oval. Expect farm fresh produce as well as artisan treats like pickles, spices, olive oil, jerky, bread and nuts alongside clothing, jewellery, health and beauty, accessories, toys, arts and crafts, and woodwork. After the market, wander the pretty streets of the village, where beautifully preserved buildings from the early 1900s have been reborn as boutique shops and cafes. 

Orange Farmers Market, Orange

Find a farm gate 

If you’re not in town on market day, there are still plenty of places you can buy fresh produce, chat with farmers or makers, and even pick your own fruit. Farm gates open their doors seasonally, depending on what can be picked from the tree or plucked from the bush. Thornbrook Orchard in Nashdale and Hillside Harvest in Borenore have cherries, apples, peaches, plums, figs, berries and grapes available at various times of the year – check their websites for timings.  

In late December and early January, don’t miss the opportunity to pick juicy cherries straight from the tree. There’s nothing like walking through the lush green orchard, sun streaming through the leaves and the plump red fruit hanging enticingly above. A number of local orchards let you fill your own basket, including Borrodell Estate, Thornbrook Orchard, Hillside Harvest and Canobolas Cherries. And if you don’t feel like getting out in the field, you can always buy pre-picked fruit. 

Borrodell Vineyard, Canobolas

Gourmet goodies 

The countryside around Orange practically begs you to lay down a picnic rug somewhere scenic and enjoy a meal in the sun. The good news is there are plenty of places to pick up supplies, including perennially popular The Agrestic Grocer, which is part cafe, part wine cellar and part gourmet store. Pick up hampers and produce boxes stocked with cheese, bread, jams, fruits and veggies, or peruse the shelves and put together your own basket of goodies. The bounty is just as tasty over at Red Chilli Deli, where there are more than 900 different local and regional products to tempt your tastebuds, from cured meats and cheeses to tapenades, preserves, artisan breads and oils.  

You can visit Ferment the Orange Wine Centre and Wine Store for a tasting paired with a cheese platter, or talk to the knowledgeable staff about which bottle of local wine to take away.  

The Agrestic Grocer, Orange