Springfield Markets
Held in the parklands of a city built from scratch on 2,860 hectares by two men whose vision Queensland's Parliament voted unanimously to legislate into existence.
About this market
Springfield Markets trades monthly in the parklands of a genuinely unusual city. Springfield is Australia's first privately built city, founded in 1992 when Maha Sinnathamby AM and Bob Sharpless acquired roughly 2,860 hectares, about 7,067 acres, of land with a vision to build an entirely new urban centre from the ground up.
A market inside Australia's first privately built city
That vision moved from private ambition to official reality in 1997, when Queensland's Parliament voted unanimously to legislate Springfield into the state's newest city. It has since grown into Australia's largest master-planned community, with the founders inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2019 for the achievement. Springfield Markets now trades monthly at Robelle Domain Parklands, right at the heart of that planned community, bringing fresh produce, food stalls and local makers to the same parklands built as part of the city's original master plan.
Market at a glance
Reviewers consistently describe Robelle Domain Parklands as a genuinely pleasant setting for a market morning, with open lawns, a lake and shaded paths adding to the appeal alongside the usual mix of produce, food vans and craft stalls.
Springfield is Australia's first privately built city, founded in 1992 on roughly 2,860 hectares of acquired land, and Queensland's Parliament voted unanimously in 1997 to legislate it into the state's newest city, a genuinely unusual origin for the parklands the market now calls home.
Good to know before you go
Being monthly rather than weekly, and skipping January entirely, makes checking the calendar before a visit essential. Arriving with time to explore Robelle Domain Parklands beyond the market itself is worth it, given the setting's lake and open lawns.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Springfield Markets held?
- The first Sunday of the month, 8am to 1pm, except January, at Robelle Domain Parklands in Springfield Central.
- What makes Springfield itself unusual as a city?
- Springfield is Australia's first privately built city, founded in 1992 when Maha Sinnathamby AM and Bob Sharpless acquired roughly 2,860 hectares of land. Queensland's Parliament voted unanimously in 1997 to legislate Springfield into the state's newest city, and it's since grown into Australia's largest master-planned community.
- Have the founders received recognition for building the city?
- Yes, Maha Sinnathamby and Bob Sharpless were both inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2019, recognition for turning roughly 2,860 hectares of acquired land into a legislated city in under three decades.