Gate-side in T2, Australian Way solves last‑minute souvenir panic
Australian Way sits airside in Terminal T2, on the international side of Melbourne Airport, so you can grab gifts after passport control. It runs through most long-haul banks, typically opening early for morning departures and staying open into the late-night Asia runs. This is the spot in T2 when you suddenly remember you promised Tim Tams and something with a kangaroo on it.
Stock leans hard into Australia-specific merchandise: locally themed T‑shirts, caps, stuffed koalas, fridge magnets and lightweight bags that still fit in a standard 7 kg cabin allowance. Shelves also carry snackable souvenirs like chocolate and sweets that survive a 14‑hour flight without drama. Pricing lands above what you’d pay in the city, but not as punishing as pure duty free; think mid‑teens for shirts and under AUD 10 for smaller items.
This isn’t a duty free specialist, so treat it as a culture-and-gifts stop rather than a place to re-stock perfume or spirits. If you want something recognisably Melbourne, look for items branded with “MEL” or the 3000 postcode instead of generic “Australia” logos. Kids’ toys sit near the front and soft toys usually cluster on rotating stands near the central aisle, easy to grab when boarding starts in 20 minutes.
One practical tip: buy anything bulky here before you hit the stricter gate checks used on some US and Asia flights from T2, so staff can bag it in a single carry handle and you’re not juggling loose souvenirs with boarding passes and passports.