Goolwa Wharf Markets
Around 80 stalls on the 1st and 3rd Sunday, run by Rotary opposite a wharf first built in 1852 on the old river port.
About this market
Rotary's twice-monthly market
The Goolwa Wharf Rotary Market runs on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month, 9am to 3pm, at Jaralde Park, on the corner of Cutting and Dunbar Roads, opposite the wharf. The Rotary Club of Encounter Bay runs it as one of its biggest fundraisers, and it adds extra market days in January and at Easter.
There are about 80 stalls. Growers bring fresh produce, including honey, and the tables fill out with pickles, jams, preserves, cakes and pastries, plants, books both new and old, bric-a-brac and collectables. The handcraft stalls go further than most, from woodwork and small pieces of furniture to fabric and knitted goods. Coffee, snacks and a barbecue cover the food.
Market at a glance
A wharf that once moved the wool trade
Goolwa was laid out in 1837 as a river port. The first wharf went up in 1852, was extended in 1866 and rebuilt in 1874, and for decades paddle steamers towed barges of supplies upriver from here and came back loaded with wool. The market sits across the road from that wharf.
Goolwa's wharf was built in 1852, extended in 1866 and rebuilt in 1874. Paddle steamers left from here towing barges of supplies up the Murray and came back loaded with wool.
Visitors often find it by accident while passing through town and stay longer than planned. Reviewers mention the river views, the food trucks and car boot sellers, and favourites such as the honey and caramel popcorn. With a riverside picnic spot and boat hire close by, it is easy to turn a morning at the market into a day on the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When are Goolwa Wharf Markets held?
- The 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month, 9am to 3pm, with extra markets in January and at Easter. The site is Jaralde Park, on the corner of Cutting and Dunbar Roads, opposite the Goolwa Wharf.
- Who runs the market?
- The Rotary Club of Encounter Bay. It is one of the club's main fundraisers, and the money goes to local, national and international projects.
- Is this the same as the Cittaslow Goolwa Farmers Market?
- No. The Cittaslow Goolwa Farmers Market is a separate market at the same park on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays, 9am to 1pm, so between the two there is a market at Jaralde Park every Sunday.
- What are Goolwa Wharf Markets opening hours?
- The first and third Sunday of the month, 9am to 3pm. The market is at Goolwa, SA.
- What days is Goolwa Wharf Markets open?
- Sunday, 9am to 3pm.