In partnership with Akubra
For a memento with real meaning, Sydney’s Akubra stores offer a glimpse into the craftsmanship behind a national icon.
One of the best things about coming home after a trip is unpacking the treasures you acquired along the way – especially if they’re an authentic reflection of a place you visited and loved. In Australia, few objects carry that sense of place quite like an Akubra. They embody the very essence of Australia.
First made in Tasmania for the country’s farmers, drovers and stockmen working in the rugged, sun-baked Australian countryside, the iconic hats are now just as much at home on an outback cattle station as they are at a festival, on a city street or at the beach – they’re simply part of who we are. As you’ll discover when you step into one of Akubra’s Sydney stores, it isn’t just a hat you’re trying on – it’s 150 years of history.
Akubras are still made the traditional way in Kempsey on the New South Wales mid-north coast, where generations of master hatters have passed down knowledge as carefully as the tools of their trade.
Your hat will have taken six weeks to make, moving through 162 individual steps, and shaped by more than 60 sets of hands to make it feel lived in from the moment you try it on. The felt will have been pressed, steamed, blocked and brushed, and the brim shaped with precision.
While every hat is crafted to hold its shape over a lifetime of adventure, your hat won’t stay as pristine as the day you take it home – and that’s the point. Made for real life, the more you wear it, the more character it will acquire, developing a look and feel that makes it uniquely your own.
Choosing your Akubra
With so many styles, choosing just one becomes part of the adventure – whether you’re a visitor wanting to capture the people, landscapes and spirit of Australia or you’re an Aussie on the move keen on carrying a familiar piece of home with you on your travels.
Styles range from rugged outback silhouettes to sleeker designs made with city streets in mind, and there are straw hats as well as felt.
For travellers drawn to Australia’s rugged spirit, the Cattleman, Coober Pedy and Snowy River are enduring favourites – broad-brimmed, beautifully balanced and built for protection under the harsh sun. They’re the hats you see in the outback, but also on nostalgic Sydneysiders who appreciate a classic.
Prefer something sleeker? The Sydney and Traveller styles offer a more refined look with slightly softer lines, just the thing for everyday wear on the street. The Avalon blends contemporary design and classic craftsmanship, while the Banjo Paterson tips its brim to Australia’s bush-poet heritage with a stylish, structured profile. After something a little more adventurous? Embrace your wild side and stand out from the crowd with the rodeo-ready Rough Rider – the band’s even made out of horse hair.
Once you’ve decided on the style, it’s time to choose a colour. With names every bit as evocative as the hats themselves, it’s likely to be a harder decision than you think. Say you’ve chosen the Riverina – not just because you like the look of it but because it embraces the spirit of Australia’s farming heartland – you then have to decide between colours ranging from midnight and sand to spice, coffee, khaki and bran. See what we mean?
For beachgoers and summer travellers, Akubra’s range also includes straw hats – lightweight, breathable and made for sunny days by the water. The Hampton, Breezer and Reef styles are especially popular, offering generous sun protection with a relaxed coastal feel. These are packable, easygoing hats made for road trips, coastal walks and wandering around outdoor markets on the weekend. The straw hats make life slightly easier when it comes to choosing a colour – the Nomad, for example, offers a simple choice between light toast and dark toast.
Whichever style and tone you’re leaning towards, an in-store fitting will make sure it sits exactly as the makers intended: firm enough to stay put; so comfortable you’ll forget you’re wearing it.
Sydney stores:
- The Bondi Store: 39 Hall St, Bondi Beach.
- The Strand Arcade, 412 George Street, Sydney.
- Shop online: akubra.com.au.
