MARKETS IN MELBOURNE
- Bargain clothing
- Cheap and fresh food
- Quirky souvenirs and bric-a-brac
Get a taste of everyday life in Melbourne when you wander through its colourful and noisy markets. The range of fresh food is unbeatable, and often exotic, thanks to the sellers from Melbourne's vibrant multicultual community. Stock your tucker box, find cheap clothes and source new wares from fledgling designers.
Food
Trading since 1878, the Queen Victoria Market is a shopping mecca covering over seven hectares – the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere. Get amongst the hustle and bustle early on a weekday (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) or on the weekend when locals drop by to shop and eat, and stall holders compete for your custom.
Prahran Market is a foodie's paradise, its range of fresh produce some of the best in Australia. Hop along to the Veg Out Farmers Market too, at the St Kilda Community Gardens, Chaucer Street, on the first Saturday of the month. It sells fresh fruit and vegies harvested from organic, chemical-free gardens, run by volunteers. There are also herbs, juices, cheeses, honey, wine, smoked meat and fish and free-range eggs on offer. The CERES Organic Food and Craft Market, on Merri Creek in East Brunswick, has a similar vibe and is held every Saturday – rain, hail or shine. The focus is organic food, hand-made and recycled items. The Friday Farmers Market at Federation Square is another fresh-food haven, focusing on high-quality Victorian goods, including delicious seasonal produce and specialist year-round products. South Melbourne Market, has over 133 businesses selling a huge range of products, from the standard fresh food, fruit and vegies to clothes, footwear, hardware and stationery.
Trading since 1878, the Queen Victoria Market is a shopping mecca covering over seven hectares – the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere. Get amongst the hustle and bustle early on a weekday (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) or on the weekend when locals drop by to shop and eat, and stall holders compete for your custom.
Prahran Market is a foodie's paradise, its range of fresh produce some of the best in Australia. Hop along to the Veg Out Farmers Market too, at the St Kilda Community Gardens, Chaucer Street, on the first Saturday of the month. It sells fresh fruit and vegies harvested from organic, chemical-free gardens, run by volunteers. There are also herbs, juices, cheeses, honey, wine, smoked meat and fish and free-range eggs on offer. The CERES Organic Food and Craft Market, on Merri Creek in East Brunswick, has a similar vibe and is held every Saturday – rain, hail or shine. The focus is organic food, hand-made and recycled items. The Friday Farmers Market at Federation Square is another fresh-food haven, focusing on high-quality Victorian goods, including delicious seasonal produce and specialist year-round products. South Melbourne Market, has over 133 businesses selling a huge range of products, from the standard fresh food, fruit and vegies to clothes, footwear, hardware and stationery.
Clothes, souvenirs and bric-a-brac
The St Kilda Esplanade Market showcases artistic wares and is great for picking up souvenirs, while Greville Street Market in Prahran draws fringe dwellers and a different weekly mix of stallholders offering eclectic fashion, jewellery, art, craft, books, second-hand goods, bric-a-brac and novelty items. Popular with collectors is Rotary's Camberwell Sunday Market, a car-boot sale at heart, with dozens of trestles set up and people selling a lot of treasure (and a little bit of trash, too!). A good specialty market offering limited-edition clothing by local designers is the Shirt & Skirt Market at the Abbotsford Convent, held the third Sunday of every month. The Rose Street Artists' Market is where emerging artists display their wares and a great place to snap up some locally designed souvenirs before they hit the big time. Meet the artists at stalls on Rose Street.
The St Kilda Esplanade Market showcases artistic wares and is great for picking up souvenirs, while Greville Street Market in Prahran draws fringe dwellers and a different weekly mix of stallholders offering eclectic fashion, jewellery, art, craft, books, second-hand goods, bric-a-brac and novelty items. Popular with collectors is Rotary's Camberwell Sunday Market, a car-boot sale at heart, with dozens of trestles set up and people selling a lot of treasure (and a little bit of trash, too!). A good specialty market offering limited-edition clothing by local designers is the Shirt & Skirt Market at the Abbotsford Convent, held the third Sunday of every month. The Rose Street Artists' Market is where emerging artists display their wares and a great place to snap up some locally designed souvenirs before they hit the big time. Meet the artists at stalls on Rose Street.
