VICTORIANS and visitors alike aren’t shy when it comes to weekend markets in Melbourne. Craft markets, farmer’s markets, bric-a-brac, clothes, design, computers, food … you name it, there’s a market somewhere close by. Then there are thousands of garage sales in the streets.
Where to begin when it comes to the best Melbourne markets? It’s hard to squeeze all the good ones into 10 slots, but we’ll give it a go. Here are some well worth the visit.
1. Queen Victoria Markets
Some say this is the one to rule them all for more than a century for everything from fish and seafood, meats, chicken, gourmet products, doughuts, sweets, and fruit and veg to clothing, souvenirs, cosmetics and roaming street performers among many more features spread over two city blocks.
2. Warrandyte Community Market
When it comes to finding Saturday markets, Melbourne is up there with the best and sometimes it pays to dig deep to unearth the gold. Warrandyte Community Market in the outer eastern suburbs is a beauty set along the most beautiful part of the Yarra River with everything from arts and crafts to fresh fruit and veg, popcorn, Phil’s burgers for brekky, gem stones, plants and loads more.
3. South Melbourne Market
Butchers, grocers, bakers, fish stalls, fortune tellers and stacks more puts the South Melbourne Market up there with the best among the inner city. Then there’s all the crazy entertainment and fantastic atmosphere at the night markets in the summer months.
4. Little Saigon Markets
Head to Footscray and you enter a world of Asia as the hustle and bustle sees everyone wanting in on the action with cheap meats, seafood, and fabulously cheap fruit and vegies.
5. The Collingwood Children’s Farm
While the Australian rules football club polarises the masses, everybody agrees that you can’t help but love this countrified market in the middle of town. Twice a month everyone swarms on the hotspot for a big taste of country life and bag some plants, seedlings, sauces and fruits while the atmosphere is enhanced by chickens, sheep and other country animals wandering around.
SCOTT PODMORE
