As we like to say on the show – get thee to a market, bellysister! (everyone who loves good food is a bellysister). They are great places to do the bulk of your weekly shopping (veg from the market last so long you may be able to leave them in your will) , or buy earth and palate friendly gifts, or just stop to check out the local scene and have a snack. There are more popping up all the time.
Check the bottom of this page for some summer season markets, and please let your bellysisters know if you find more markets, they are coming up like tasty mushrooms in this fine North Coast weather.
FARMERS MARKETS
The freshest fruit and vegetables you will ever find is at these markets. Prices are sometimes higher than the local supermarket, sometimes well below, but the quality is usually vastly superior. Market rules vary, but usually there are checks in place to see that the stall holders are selling their own produce, and they come from the local area. Stalls selling organic produce are always clearly marked. You will usually find jams and relishes, honey, eggs, breads, local cheese, meats, sometimes seafood, and various edible temptations made from mostly local produce. Many stalls are ready to sell earlier than these advertised times, and many sell out long before the finish time. So if you’d like variety, come early, but be ready to fight it out with the locals, who tend to come early and often have to rush off to work. For a more relaxed experience, come later, but by big city standards the markets are probably always laid back!
WEEKLY FARMERS MARKETS IN THE BYRON BAY AREA
TUESDAY
New Brighton – 8 to 11 am, New Brighton Oval, 6684 5390
Lismore Organic – 8 to 11 am, Lismore Showground, 6628 1084
WEDNESDAY
Murwillumbah – 8 to 11 am, Murwillumbah Showground, 0401 306 818
THURSDAY
Byron Bay – 8 to 11 am, Butler Street Reserve, 6687 1137
FRIDAY
Mullumbimby – 8 to 11 am, Showgrounds, 6684 5390
SATURDAY
Bangalow – 8 to 11 am, Bangalow Hotel carpark, 6687 1137
Lismore – 8 to 11 am, Lismore Showground, 6629 3229
Uki – 8 to 12.30 am, Uki Community Centre, 6679 9026
Blue Knob, outside Nimbin- 9 am to 1 pm, Blue Knob Hall, 6689-7004
SUNDAY
Ballina – Kingsford Smith Drive – 6 am to 12 pm , 0416 048 241
A FEW MORE NORTHERN NSW FARMERS MARKETS
Kyogle – Stratheden Street – Every Saturday, 6636 6233
Bellingen – Showground – Second & Fourth Saturday, 6655 9719
Grafton – Market Square – Every Thursday, 6642 3336
(a small but interesting market under the jacarandas, still listed as fortnightly on many websites, check in winter maybe)
GOLD COAST FARMERS MARKETS
SATURDAY
Currumbin – 7 to 11.30am, Currumbin Sanctuary Car Park, 0417 759 777
SUNDAY
Organic Gold Coast – 6 to 11.30am,Miami State High School, 1300 668 603
Beenleigh – 6am to 12pm, Showground, (07) 3807 1871
Bundall – 7am to 12pm, Gold Coast Turf Club, Racecourse Drive , 0404 787 865
Nerang – 6.30am to 12pm, Lavelle Street, 0417 728 844
Mt Tamborine – 8 am to 12pm, Showground,indoor
ROTATING WEEKEND MARKETS
These mixed markets are a good way to see the different tribes gathering, listen to music, buy some crafts, some are even made locally rather than imported from S-E Asia. I’ve chosen ones that have at least some food and produce. Some will come straight from the wholesale markets, but many are small scale local items, grown or made by people who believe in providing an alternative to the national supermarket chains. And making a living without plugging into the central market system. They mostly start around 8 am and go until 3, sometimes 4 pm for very busy markets like Byron Bay and Bangalow. Be aware that small markets or markets held on rainy days may start to pack up early.
FIRST WEEKEND OF THE MONTH
Saturday
Brunswick Heads – Memorial Park, 6684 4437
Murwillumbah – Knox Park , 6672 1340
Sunday
Byron Bay – Butler Street Reserve, 6685 6807 ext 2
Lismore Car Boot – Lismore Shopping Square carpark, 6628 7333
Pottsville – Recreation Ground, 6676 4555
SECOND WEEKEND OF THE MONTH
Saturday
Kingscliff – Marine Parade, 6674 0827
Tintenbar – Oval, Fernleigh Rd , 6687 8588
Sunday
The Channon – Coronation Park, 6688 6433
Lennox Head – Lake Ainsworth foreshore, 6687 8618
(check location, they’ve been experimenting – or follow signs)
Alstonville – Showground (undercover), 6628 1568
Chillingham – Community Centre, Numinbah Rd, 6679 1284
Coolangatta – Queen Elizabeth Park, (07) 5533 8202
Mount Tamborine – Showground, 0417 618 379
THIRD WEEKEND OF THE MONTH
Saturday
Mullumbimby – Cnr Stuart and Myocum Streets , 6684 3370
Murwillumbah – Knox Park, 6672 1340
Sunday
Byron Bay – Butler Street Reserve, 6685 6807 ext 2 (summer only, October to March)
Uki – Old Uki Buttery, 6679 5369
Lismore Car Boot – Lismore Shopping Square carpark , 6628 7333
Nimbin – Nimbin Community Centre , 0429 194 248
Ballina – Circus Ground, Canal Road, 6687 4328
Pottsville – Recreation Ground, 6676 4555
FOURTH WEEKEND OF THE MONTH
Saturday
Evans Head – Recreation reserve near Silver Sands, 0439 489631
( during Christmas school holidays held at StanPayne Oval)
Kingscliff – Marine Parade, 6674 0827
Sunday
Bangalow – Bangalow Showground, 6687 1911
Murwillumbah – Showgrounds, 6672 1340
Yamba – Ford Park, 0422 420 159
FIFTH SUNDAY
(these are extra markets on months with more than their fair share of weekends)
Nimbin – Community Centre , 0429 194 248
Lennox Head – Lake Ainsworth foreshore , 6672 2874
(this is normally a bigger and busier market than in week 2, also check location, they have been experimenting)
Casino – Casino Village RV Resort,69 Light St, 6662 1069
AND JUST TO BE DIFFERENT (in the way they work out when to hold them)
Woodenbong Yowie Country Markets – Public Hall, Last Sat. in month 6635 1176
Tamborine Village – Middle Park , Last Sunday in month
MORE MARKETS
http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/ – the official site of the Australian Farmers’ Markets Association, with a list of locations and contacts about farmers markets all over Australia, and info on starting up your own!
http://www.clarencetourism.com/pdffiles/market_guide.pdf – for markets in the Clarence and Richmond valleys and Coffs Harbour area
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/gold-coast-shopping-markets.html – there are a lot of other farmers markets on the Gold Coast that rotate from week to week – this site has address and other details for all Gold Coast markets – remember in summer there will be a 1 hour time difference for Queensland!
And for some reviews of Queensland markets, and details of markets in Brisbane and the rest of the banana state, go to this site
http://www.whitehat.com.au/Queensland/Markets/MarketsQld.asp
I’ve been to the Powerhouse market in Brisbane and can recommend it – get there early – and I have a friend who loves the Currumbin market.
MARKET LOCATION/EXTRA INFO LINKS :
http://byronfarmersmarket.com.au
http://byronbaycommunitymarket.com/
http://bangalowmarket.com.au/?page=site/stall&stall_id=19
http://www.visitlismore.com.au/cmst/vl001/view_doc.asp?id=1063&cat=67 – Lismore area markets and market bus
http://www.newbrightonfarmersmarket.org.au (they also run the Mullum farmers market)
http://www.murwillumbah.com.au/pages/market.html
http://www.tweedtourism.com.au/search_resultall.asp – a list of Northern NSW and Gold Coast market details
http://www.tamborinemtncc.org.au/visiting/things_to_do/things_to_do.cfm
http://www.bigvolcano.com.au/active/markets.htm – good market pictures
Please leave a comment about your favourite market, and let the bellysisters know if we’ve missed a good food market in this area – or one we should look out for if we travel further afield.
You are welcome to copy and use any of the information on this page, as it will hopefully help to support the markets. However, an acknowledgment that it came from the bellysisters would be really nice. I have been calling tourist information offices to check these details are correct, however markets change all the time, so please let us know if you spot any mistakes. And enjoy the market!
Sister T
ADDED EXTRAS – SUMMER MARKETS
Many markets are getting trialled in the summer months in the Northern Rivers, some of them become regular summer events or even all year round goodness if they get enough support. Please tell us (see contact us page or leave a comment below) if you know of any more
THURSDAYS
LISMORE Produce Market, Magellan St (between Carrington and Molesworth), 3.30 pm to 6 pm, 02 6622 5141
BALLINA Twilight Market, Fawcett Park , 4 til 8 pm, until the end of daylight saving, managed by the lovely Joni Teal, so bound to be good; 02 6687 4086, email ballinatwilightmarket@gmail.com
SATURDAYS
BYRON BAY Artisan Market, Railway Park, 5 pm to 9 pm, see http://byronmarkets.com.au/artisan.html
LISMORE Produce Market, Magellan St (between Carrington and Molesworth), 8am to 12pm, 02 6622 5141
FOURTH SATURDAY
LISMORE Twilight Market, Corner Carrington and Magellan St, 2pm to 7pm, 0411 829 066 (Candy Glover)
THIRD SUNDAY
Additional BYRON BAY market until March, Butler Street reserve, see above under first Sunday