Crystal Waters Eco Village Markets
A monthly market on the village green of Crystal Waters, Australia's longest-running permaculture community, in the Conondale hinterland.
About this market
Crystal Waters Eco Village Markets trades on the village green of Crystal Waters, a 259-hectare permaculture community in the Conondale hinterland behind the Sunshine Coast, on the first Saturday of every month except January. The village was established in 1988 by permaculture designers Max Lindegger and Robert Tapp on land first settled during the back-to-the-land movement of the late 1970s, and it is now recognised as Australia's longest-running permaculture community.
A market inside a permaculture landmark
Only around a fifth of the village's land is built on; the rest is regenerating forest and common land shared under a body corporate structure covering roughly 85 residential lots. That design earned Crystal Waters international recognition, including a place among the finalists for the 1996 UN World Habitat Award. The market itself is small and community-run, spread across the green rather than a formal precinct, and stallholder fees are kept low at $15 to $20 a stall, which keeps the mix leaning towards home producers and makers rather than commercial traders.
Market at a glance
What's on the green
Expect organic vegetables, wood-fired sourdough straight from the village bakery, cakes, dips, local honey, kombucha and smoothies, plants and seedlings, up-cycled and recycled goods, clothing, books, and services like massage and acupuncture. The village's own Bakery, Kitchen and Coffee Shop stay open through market hours, and there is a playground and picnic facilities on site for families. Cash is the preferred payment on most stalls, with EFTPOS available at the Ikigai Cafe and at the Conondale Store 8km away; phone reception on site is intermittent, though WiFi is available.
Crystal Waters was a finalist for the 1996 UN World Habitat Award for its permaculture design and was added to the United Nations' World's Best Practices database in 1998, making the village itself as much a drawcard as the market held on its green.
Crystal Waters is a registered wildlife sanctuary, and the market's no cats or dogs policy is enforced accordingly, with kangaroos, wallabies and native birds a regular sight around the green. Visitors planning a trip should factor in the drive: the village sits about 26km from Maleny and Woodford, well off the highway, making the market as much a destination outing as a produce stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Crystal Waters Eco Village Markets held?
- It runs from 8am to 1pm on the first Saturday of every month except January, on the village green at Crystal Waters, 65 Kilcoy Lane, Conondale.
- Can I bring my dog to the market?
- No. Crystal Waters is a registered wildlife sanctuary with a strict no cats or dogs policy, home to resident kangaroos, wallabies and native birds.
- What can I buy at the market?
- Stalls sell organic vegetables, wood-fired sourdough, local honey, kombucha, plants and seedlings, up-cycled goods and handmade crafts, alongside massage, acupuncture and cafe food from the village's own Bakery, Kitchen and Coffee Shop.
- What are Crystal Waters Eco Village Markets opening hours?
- The first Saturday of the month, except January. The market is at Conondale, QLD.