Beechmont Country Markets
A monthly mountain market at a school that closed and became a community centre, with the Numinbah Valley laid out below it.
About this market
The Beechmont Country Markets run on the third Sunday of the month, 8am to 1pm, in the grounds of a state school that closed and became the town's community centre. The Beech Mountain Association runs both the market and the site, so the two are the same project rather than a market renting a venue.
A market on the ridge
Beechmont sits on a forested ridge running from the Lamington Plateau across towards Tamborine Mountain, and the market's setting does most of the work: the Old School looks out over the Numinbah Valley towards the Gold Coast, Mudgeeraba, Springbrook, Mount Warning and Binna Burra. The stalls cover local produce, homemade goods, plants and crafts, with an op shop, live music and a BBQ running alongside, and the Headmaster's Cafe operating out of the Old School itself. It is a hinterland community market rather than a produce market, which means the mix changes month to month and the reason to come is as much the ridge and the coffee as the shopping. New stallholders are offered their first site at no cost, which is a deliberate way of keeping the stall list turning over.
Market at a glance
The association formed in 1998 with the stated purpose of enriching and promoting links within the Beechmont community, and its main goal is to keep the community centre operating. A monthly market is the most visible part of that.
The market trades on the grounds of a school that took its first pupils more than 120 years ago. Beechmont State School opened on 15 August 1904 and the site is now the Beechmont Community Centre, known locally as the Old School, managed by the community association under an agreement with Scenic Rim Regional Council. The cafe that operates there on market days is called the Headmaster's Cafe, which is about as direct an acknowledgement of a building's past life as a market is likely to give you.
Before you drive up
Third Sunday, 8am to 1pm. Beechmont Road climbs steeply from the coastal plain and the drive is part of the appeal, but it is winding, so allow more time than the distance suggests. Bring cash and bags. The ridge sits high enough to be markedly cooler than the Gold Coast below and can be in cloud when the coast is clear, so bring a layer regardless of the forecast down the hill. Binna Burra and the Lamington National Park walking tracks are close by and make an obvious continuation. This is Yugambeh country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When are the Beechmont Country Markets held?
- The third Sunday of every month, from 8am to 1pm, at 1835 Beechmont Road.
- Who runs the market?
- The Beech Mountain Association Inc, the non profit that operates and maintains the Beechmont Community Centre on the site of the old Beechmont State School.
- What will I find there?
- Local produce, homemade goods, plants, crafts, an op shop, live music and a BBQ, with the Headmaster's Cafe operating at the Old School.