Australian Science Fiction Bookshops 1999

A list of SF bookshops in Australia circa 1999. Corrections and additions are always welcome (and may eventually result in updates).

NSW and ACT

Book City: Macarthur Square, Campbelltown (outlying suburb of Sydney). Not a SF specialist, but had a good selection of SF and fantasy.
Collins Superstore: Level 2, Broadway Shopping Centre, Cnr Broadway and Bay St, Sydney. Leigh Blackmore, who runs the SF section of this store reported that Collins carries a comprehensive range of SF and fantasy titles from Brian Aldiss to David Zindell, including authors, specialty presses, signed and limited collectors editions you won't find anywhere else in Sydney. Regular weekly imports, plus signings and events. Leigh is also interested in hearing from fan groups who may want to use the store's Banjo Patterson Room for meetings. (Reported by Ted Scribner in Bullsheet, confirmed by Leigh Blackmore, who formerly ran the Dymocks store).
Dymocks SF Bookshop: Basement of Dymocks, 424-430 George Street, Sydney. Opened 6th June 1995. Has had local and overseas authors in for signings at times. Produced a newsletter, Mythopoeia, now believed defunct. Specialises in SF, fantasy, horror.
Galaxy Bookshop: 143 York St, Sydney (moved from Clarence St Jan 2003), part of the Abbey's group, is the oldest of the Sydney SF bookshops, and has also been a regular venue for signings by writers such as Terry Dowling. Moves rapidly to cover media areas. The staff are young and enthusiastic. Produces Galaxy Newsletter.
Gaslight Books: 10/83 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick, ACT 2609, or PO Box 267. An attractive shop, Specialist SF and related shop, run by long time enthusiast Gayle Lovett. Phone (02) 6239 3633, email gasbooks at ozemail dot com dot au http://www.ozemail.com.au/~gasbooks
GreyDoor Books: Seems to be an online bookshop based in Sydney. Fantasy, magic realism, science fiction tags. They list themselves as alternate reality community. Once at www.greydoorbooks.com/public/
Infinitas Science Fiction and Fantasy Bookshop: Shop 22 Civic Arcade, 48-50 George Street, Parramatta NSW 2150. Phone (02) 9633 5682 email bookshop at infinitas dot com dot au They had regular meetings on alternate Thursday, starting at 6:30 pm. Produces a monthly paper newsletter with reviews. Once www.infinitas.com.au
Land Beyond Beyond: 583 George Street, Sydney NSW 2001 phone (02) 9267 5615. Probably comics, posters.
Phantasia Science Fiction and Mystery Bookshop: Formerly in Penrith, but now I believe mail order only. info at phantasia dot com dot au or http://www.phantasia.com.au; [This was a wonderful looking shop. Open seven days a week. A SF and mystery bookshop, opened 9th October 1996. It is owned by Owen and Karen Miller, while old time fan Shayne McCormack, who at one stage managed Galaxy, is assistant manager. If you wanted to sit and talk, there was The Cafe at the End of the Universe on the premises. Lewis Morley provided some of his magnificent costumes for display at the shop, and it also has paintings by Robyn Woodward. Looks very spacious, well laid out, with a good range of material. Decidedly the most visually stunning SF bookshop in Australia (check out the aliens in the garden next to the cafe).]
Sappho Books and Cafe: They email in 2004 to mention they are a general secondhand bookshop, specialising in SF and fantasy. They have 4500 science fiction and fantasy books out of a stock of 30,000. Located at 165 Glebe Point Road, Glebe. NSW 2037 Ph. 9552 4498 Fax. 9660 1268 www.sapphobooks.com.au

Queensland

Albion Books: Albion Books are at 333 Sandgate Road, Albion QLD 4010 p (07) 3262 5590, second hand books, and also have a good variety of used SF. www.albionbooks.com.au
Pulp Fiction Booksellers: SF, fantasy, crime and mystery. Moved to different mall. Formerly Shops 28-29 Anzac Square Arcade, 265 Edward Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000 phone (07) 3221 0666 fax (07) 3236 2750 or fax (07) 3236 2752 In the heart of the city. Postal address GPO Box 297, Brisbane, 40001. Email pulpfiction at compuserve dot com Turns out this is run by Ron Serdiuk, whom many will recall from Galaxy and several other locations. An excellent bookseller.
Zap! Brisbane?

South Australia

Known Space: 1st Floor, 108 Gawler Place, Adelaide. (08) 8223 4304. Open Wed, Thurs, Sat noon to 6 p.m. Fri noon to 10 p.m. Thriller, horror, adventure, imported comics, back issue digest magazines, Dr Who and Star Trek items.

Victoria

David Syber's Books: 19a Carlisle St, St. Kilda, Melbourne, opposite National Theatre. Secondhand 10 bookcases of SF&F, 5 crime and mystery. Discounts via adverts in Ethel the Aardvark. Noon till 5pm every day. He emailed me from dssyber at alphalink dot com dot au in March 1997.
Fahrenheit: I'm told this is no longer there. Was at corner of Bourke and William Street, 150 Burke Street, opposite AMP Square, phone (03) 9600 4674 or email anthologybooks at bigpond dot com Science fiction and fantasy, role playing. Newsletter with detailed reviews.
Minotaur: centre of Melbourne, moved in 2001 I believe to 121 Elizabeth Street, comics and books, and a mail order club also, I believe. Phone (03) 9670 5414 or comics (07) 9670 5415. Catalog available. Web site was www.minotaur.com.au and email address is shop at minotaur dot com dot au
Of Science & Swords: Books from Another World they say, as at December 2004. Shop 500, 260 Collins St, Melbourne, Australia on Collins Tel: (03) 9639 4807 Fax: (03) 9663 8266 Email of-science-and-swords at netspace.net.au
Penny Syber's Books: 38 Chapel St, Windsor, Melbourne, opposite Windsor Railway Station, noon till 6 pm every day except Friday closes at 5 pm. 7 bookcases science fiction mixed with fantasy, three of mystery and crime. 3 felines, Pixel (11.5 kg) and Telzey (5.6 kg) and Mira ( 2.75 kg) ( courtesy of J.D. Robb [cringe] Penny reads them, not me!) (you all recognise the SF names?) Updated March 2002. I note in 1997 Pixel was (8.6 kg) - I think Pixel is a glutton.
Slow Glass Books: Mail order GPO Box 2709X Melbourne Vic 3001. Formerly 305 Swanston Street, and as at early 1997, Justin and Jenny Ackroyd had taken over the ground floor as well as the previous upstairs location, but now mail order only. Probably the best informed SF bookshop around. Justin knows my taste in SF better than I do. Does an excellent job handling mail order books, and produces a mail order catalog. The original premises were formerly occupied by Merv Binns' Space Age Books. www.slowglass.com.au
Tragically Hip: 271 Smith Street, Fitzroy 3065. Proprietor stocks a range of secondhand science fiction but the shop's main strength is its range of Australian science fiction and fantasy. He has a full range of all the titles published by Australia's past major presses: Cory and Collins, Norstrilia and aphelion. Interested customers can contact Paul Collins by phone (03) 9416 2940, fax (03) 9348 2068 and Email mcostain at werple dot net dot au Please note some details may be obsolete.

West Australia

SuperNova Books: specialist science fiction and fantasy bookshop, Shop 17, Raine Square, 135 William Street, Perth. Formerly run by Alwyn Hyman. 322 5910 fax 322 5910 I regret to note that Alwyn Hyman is reported to have died on Thursday 19 August 2004. The shop is being run by Tim (a former assistant) on behalf of the family while the will is sorted out. A note from Constance Wiebrands on 2 July 2005 says: Just came across your listing of science fiction bookshops in Australia and wanted to let you know that Supernova Books in Perth is closing down. As of yesterday all stock was being sold at 40% off, with 'Closing Down' signs prominently placed in the windows. We were told that the shop will be gone in a matter of weeks. Very sad.

On a happier note, Tim Sung (formerly of Supernova) has just opened his White Dwarf books a couple of doors up from Supernova (Tims White Dwarf Pty Ltd, Raine Square 133 William St Perth 6000, (08) 9481 3468.

78 Records, Hay St Perth, also sells our short story publication Borderlands amongst others, if you are updating.

A Touch of Strange: moved from Subiaco to Shop 11, Cine City Arcade, corner of Barrack and Murray Streets, Perth on 8th March 1999. I don't have a phone number and haven't seen the new shop. I now have a (third party) note that the shop has closed, as a consequence of the GST on books.

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