Hidden
away in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, the small settlement of Eumundi has the
most interesting market I have seen in all of Australia. The market showcases
local produce, with an eclectic array of arts and crafts, and is a must-see
during a visit to the Sunshine Coast.
Following
the mantra “Make it, bake it, design it, sew it or grow it”, the Eumundi
Markets are a celebration of the talents of the local community. There are over
500 stalls, spread across three different sites, all within walking distance
from each other, within Eumundi.
Eumundi
Square
To the
north of Napier Street, several small shops are built to form a large square,
with a lawn in the centre and, on market days, usually a musician. In this area
of the markets the vendors are more established as shops and sell clothing,
homewares, jewellery and a few knickknacks.
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| Turkish ceramics for sale at Eumundi Square Markets, Queensland, Australia |
Central
Market
The main
market area is between Napier Street and Memorial Drive. Stalls stretch along
four terraces beneath beautiful tall trees. This is the best area for locally
created arts and crafts, with local photographs (both current and historic),
kangaroo fur creations such as toys and bags, clothing, greeting cards, wood
and stone carvings, metalwork, natural beauty products, pet accessories,
ceramics, condiments and fresh fruit and vegetables for sale.
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| Metal sculptures for sale beneath the umbrella canopy at Eumundi Markets, Queensland, Australia |
There is also a
section by the park, where you can have your fortune read or indulge in a
massage. When
you get peckish, check out the food stalls, by the CWA Hall, for French crepes,
Turkish gozleme, Spanish paella and German sausage. Even those marvellous
croissant-doughnut hybrids, cronuts are on offer.
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| Necklace pendants for sale at Eumundi Markets, Queensland, Australia |
Art
Hill Pavillion Markets
Up a
small hill on the south side of Memorial Drive, between Joe’s Waterhole pub and
the Visitor Centre are the Pavillion Markets. This is the smallest of the
market sections and, while a little bit of everything is available here, stalls
in this area mostly focus on secondhand goods, antiques, books, organic and
health products. There is also a shop selling maps, which has an interesting
collection of historic maps from all over the world.
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| Art Hill Pavillion Markets, Eumundi, Queensland, Australia |
The
markets are a delight for the senses with intriguing sights and the scent of
delicious treats grabbing your attention at every step. But keep an eye out for
some fun characters too. If you hear a particularly noisy and persistent bird, you’ll
probably meet the bird whistle man, selling whistles that mimic birdcalls.
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| Wooden carved Aussie larrikin signs, Eumundi Market, Queensland, Australia |
There are also several musicians keeping the market lively playing guitar and
singing, as well as entertainers making balloon animals for children. Somehow,
despite all of the life going on around him, the man selling hammocks appears
to be asleep in one of his hammocks.
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| Musicians perform at Eumundi Markets, Queensland, Australia |
The
markets trade on Saturdays from 7am to 2pm, and on Wednesdays from 8am to
1pm, rain or shine (take an umbrella on a rainy day though, as when it rains in
Eumundi, it really rains).
