Melbourne is home to some of the most thoughtful gift givers in the country. Families here have a genuine appreciation for things made by hand, for objects that carry a story, and for gifts that are worth something beyond their price tag. At The Wishlist Store, we are a Melbourne based small business that ships ethically made crochet toys, amigurumi animals and handmade keepsakes to families right across the city and its surrounding suburbs, from Fitzroy and Carlton to the Dandenong Ranges and down to the Mornington Peninsula.
A Melbourne Business Made for Melbourne Families
The Wishlist Store was built around a simple idea. There are people all over the world who know how to make beautiful things, and there are families in Melbourne and across Australia who are looking for gifts with real meaning. We connect those two worlds.
Our toys are handcrafted by artisan communities in India who are paid fair wages for their work. Every piece goes through quality checks before it is packaged by hand right here in Victoria and sent out to families across Melbourne and beyond. When you buy from us you are not buying something that came off a production line. You are buying something that someone made with their hands, and that somebody else will hold onto for years.
We hear from Melbourne customers all the time who tell us the crochet giraffe they ordered for a baby shower in Northcote is still sitting on a shelf in a seven year old’s bedroom. That is exactly the kind of thing we are making. Not a toy that ends up in a bin after six weeks. A toy that stays.
Every order placed before 2pm on a business day is dispatched same day from our Victoria base. For customers in Melbourne’s inner suburbs we typically see delivery within one to two business days. Standard orders to outer Melbourne, the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula generally arrive within two to three business days.
Our Melbourne Favourites: Six Products Worth Knowing About
We have picked two products from each of our three main categories, all of which are popular with Melbourne customers buying for baby showers, first birthdays, nursery gifts and everyday play. None of these products appear on our other city pages, so if you have been browsing around you are seeing something new here.
$65.00
A beautifully detailed handmade crochet doll that makes an exceptional gift for a first birthday or a new baby. Bella is soft, carefully constructed and completely one of a kind.
$28.00
Ingu is a gentle handmade crochet giraffe with classic yellow and brown spots. Compact enough for little hands, charming enough to sit on a nursery shelf for years. A customer favourite in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
$6.00
A handmade crochet bag charm that costs next to nothing but lands every time as a small gift. Great for school friends, teachers, work colleagues or anyone who just needs something that will make them smile.
$11.00
A handmade crochet bag charm in the shape of a tiny red dress. Thoughtful, distinctive and easy to post. Works beautifully as a gift for anyone who loves fashion, colour and things made by hand.
$75.00
A handmade crochet cot hanging in soft pink and green tones built around a unicorn theme. A genuinely special nursery gift for Melbourne baby showers where the parents want something that stands out.
$43.00
A handmade crochet sensory rattle set designed for newborns. Gentle on developing hands and made without synthetic fillers. One of our most gifted items for Melbourne baby showers where the newborn is front and centre.
Why Melbourne Families Choose Handmade Crochet Toys
There is something particular about the way Melbourne approaches gifts. Farmers markets in Fitzroy North, independent boutiques in Collingwood, handmade goods at the Camberwell Sunday Market. This city has always had a streak that values what is made carefully over what is made cheaply. Our customers here reflect that. They are not looking for the fastest option or the lowest price. They are looking for something real.
Crochet toys occupy a specific place in that world. They are soft enough for newborns, robust enough for toddlers who chew and throw things, and distinctive enough that they do not look like the dozen other gifts that arrived at the same baby shower. Parents remember them. Kids carry them everywhere. That combination is genuinely hard to find in a mass produced product.
Our amigurumi animals and handmade dolls are made from natural cotton yarn. There are no hard plastic parts, no batteries required and no flashing lights competing for attention. What you get is a toy that behaves like a toy should: it invites imagination rather than replacing it.
Crochet toys from The Wishlist Store are made from natural cotton yarn and are suitable from birth. If you are shopping for a newborn in Melbourne and want something safe, soft and genuinely made by hand, our full toys range is the right place to start. Every item ships with a small care card explaining how to look after it so it stays in good condition for years.
Melbourne Suburbs We Deliver To
We ship to every Melbourne suburb with standard Australia Post tracked delivery. The table below shows typical delivery times from our Victoria dispatch centre.
Melbourne Delivery Estimate
Orders placed before 2pm on business days dispatch same day.
| Melbourne Region | Suburbs | Estimated Delivery | Free Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner Melbourne | Fitzroy, Collingwood, Richmond, Carlton, South Yarra | 1 to 2 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Inner North | Northcote, Brunswick, Coburg, Preston, Thornbury | 1 to 2 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Inner East | Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell, Balwyn, Box Hill | 1 to 2 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Inner South | St Kilda, Prahran, Windsor, Elwood, Brighton | 1 to 2 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Inner West | Footscray, Yarraville, Williamstown, Newport | 1 to 2 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Outer East | Ringwood, Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Croydon, Belgrave | 2 to 3 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Outer North | Bundoora, Epping, South Morang, Craigieburn, Whittlesea | 2 to 3 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Outer South East | Dandenong, Berwick, Pakenham, Narre Warren, Cranbourne | 2 to 3 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Mornington Peninsula | Frankston, Mornington, Mount Eliza, Rosebud, Rye | 2 to 3 business days | Orders over $100 |
| Yarra Valley and Hills | Healesville, Warburton, Emerald, Kallista, Olinda | 2 to 4 business days | Orders over $100 |
Free Local Pickup Available in Bundoora (3083)
If you are in Melbourne and would prefer not to pay for shipping, or if you need your order quickly, we offer free local pickup from our Bundoora location in Melbourne’s north, postcode 3083. Simply place your order online as normal and select the local pickup option at checkout. We will contact you as soon as your order is ready to collect and arrange a suitable time.
Local pickup is available to Melbourne customers only and is a great option if you are nearby in the northern suburbs, if you have a baby shower coming up and need the gift in hand quickly, or if you simply prefer to collect rather than wait for delivery. There is no minimum order for pickup and no shipping cost applies.
Melbourne Suburbs and the Stories Behind Our Customers
Fitzroy and Collingwood
These neighbourhoods have always been drawn to independent makers and ethically sourced goods. Our crochet toys fit naturally into the gift culture here, particularly for baby showers and first birthdays.
Hawthorn and Kew
Families in the inner east tend to buy for quality and longevity rather than novelty. Our handmade dolls and amigurumi animals are exactly the kind of toy that stays in a family for a generation.
Brunswick and Northcote
A community that genuinely cares where things come from and who made them. Our fair trade production story resonates particularly well with customers from these suburbs who want to buy consciously.
Brighton and St Kilda
Coastal Melbourne families who appreciate presentation as much as the product itself. Our toys arrive gift ready, making them a reliable choice for baby showers where the wrapping matters as much as the gift.
Mornington Peninsula
Regional families who shop online and want reliable delivery. We dispatch tracked orders from Victoria so Peninsula customers typically receive within two to three business days.
Bundoora and the North
This is where we are based. Our Victoria dispatch centre is in Bundoora, which means orders placed to Melbourne’s northern suburbs are often the fastest to arrive.
The Fair Trade Story Behind Every Toy We Make
Every crochet toy on this page was made by skilled artisans in India who are paid a fair wage for their craft. This is not a claim we make lightly. Fair trade for us means transparent supply chains, pricing that supports a liveable income, and long term relationships with the communities we work with.
The people who make our toys have been doing this work for years. They know how to construct a crochet giraffe that will survive a toddler who has thrown it off a balcony three times. They know how to finish a seam on a handmade doll so it holds through years of being dragged around. That skill does not come from a machine. It comes from people who take their work seriously because they know the person receiving it will too.
When you order from The Wishlist Store as a Melbourne customer, you are part of a supply chain that actually works the way it should. The artisan gets paid fairly. The toy arrives in good condition. And the child who receives it gets something genuinely worth keeping.
We believe the best handmade gifts in Melbourne are the ones where you can tell the story of where they came from. Every toy we sell comes with a card that describes the artisan community that made it. Our customers tell us this is often one of the things people comment on most at baby showers and birthday parties.
Frequently Asked Questions from Melbourne Customers
Do you offer same day delivery in Melbourne?
We do not offer same day delivery, but orders placed before 2pm on a business day are dispatched same day from our Bundoora base in Victoria’s north. Inner Melbourne suburbs typically receive delivery within one to two business days via Australia Post tracked shipping.
Are your crochet toys safe for newborns in Melbourne?
Yes. Our toys are made from natural cotton yarn without hard parts, loose eyes or synthetic fillers. They are soft enough for newborns from birth. We recommend supervision during play for babies under 12 months as with any soft toy. All items comply with Australian safety guidelines.
Can I pick up my order in Melbourne rather than having it posted?
Yes. We offer free local pickup from our Bundoora location in Melbourne’s north, postcode 3083. When you reach the checkout you will see the local pickup option available. We will send you a message as soon as your order is ready with available collection times. This is a popular option for customers in the northern suburbs who want their order immediately after placing it online, or for anyone who would prefer to avoid shipping costs altogether.
Do you do gift wrapping for Melbourne baby showers?
All of our toys are packaged neatly and arrive ready to give as a gift. If you are ordering for a Melbourne baby shower and would like a personalised note included, simply add a message in the order notes at checkout and we will include it with your package.
What is the difference between amigurumi and a regular soft toy?
Amigurumi is a Japanese crochet technique that creates three dimensional stuffed characters using a continuous spiral stitch. Unlike a knitted toy, amigurumi has a tighter structure that holds its shape well and is very durable. All of our handmade toys at The Wishlist Store use amigurumi construction, which is why they last as long as they do.
Why should I buy handmade crochet toys in Melbourne rather than from a large retailer?
When you buy a handmade crochet toy from a small Melbourne business like ours, the money you spend directly supports fair wages for artisans in the communities that make our products, as well as a small local team right here in Victoria. You also get something genuinely distinctive. No two handmade items are exactly alike, which is part of what makes them worth giving.
Further Reading
If you are researching handmade toys and gifts for Melbourne families, these articles from our blog are worth your time.
- The Best Places to Find Ethical Handmade Gifts in Melbourne
- Finding Handmade Crochet Toys in Melbourne and Making Baby Showers Unforgettable
- Amigurumi vs Mass Produced Toys: What Parents Are Actually Noticing
- Caring for Handmade Crochet Toys: Washing, Drying and Long Term Storage Tips
- From Melbourne to TikTok: Why Gen Z is Hooked on Amigurumi