Beechworth Farmers' Market
High Country growers trading in the churchyard of a Ford Street bluestone church, with a start time that shifts with the seasons.
About this market
The Beechworth Farmers' Market trades on the first Saturday of every month in the churchyard of Christ Church on Ford Street, and its hours move with the seasons: 8am to 12.30pm from October to May, then a 9am start from June to September. That is an unusually honest piece of scheduling for a market, and it tells you something about the town's altitude.
Growing country above the Ovens Valley
Beechworth sits in Victoria's High Country north east of Wangaratta, in a belt that produces fruit, vegetables, wine and small-batch food out of proportion to its population. The stalls run to fresh fruit and vegetables, artisan breads, free range eggs, cheeses, olives, preserves, herbs and seedlings, plus prepared food to eat on the spot. It is a compact market rather than a sprawling one, and the churchyard setting keeps it that way, which is a different experience from a carpark or an oval.
Market at a glance
The market is managed from within the Anglican parish, which is why it works around the church's own calendar and why the grounds are treated as a shared space rather than a hired venue. A second market, the Quercus flea market, runs on the same first Saturday morning a short walk along Ford Street, so most visitors do both.
The church the market trades beside went up at the height of the Ovens goldfields rush. The foundation stone of Christ Church was laid in December 1858 and the building, then only the nave of what stands today, opened on 2 October 1859. The tower was added in 1864. The 1919 Diamond Jubilee souvenir credits James Dobbyn as architect of the first stage, though the design is often attributed to Leonard Terry, the Melbourne diocesan architect of the period.
Before you head up the hill
First Saturday, and the start time is the thing to get right: 8am from October to May, 9am from June to September, closing at 12.30pm either way. Beechworth is high enough that winter mornings are cold, so dress for it. Bring bags and cash. Parking is on Ford Street and the surrounding blocks, and the market is an easy walk from the centre of a town that is worth the rest of the day anyway, since Beechworth's gold-era streetscape is one of the best preserved in Victoria. This is Dhudhuroa and Waywurru country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the Beechworth Farmers' Market on?
- The first Saturday of every month, in the grounds of Christ Church on Ford Street. It trades 8am to 12.30pm from October to May and starts an hour later, at 9am, from June to September.
- Why does the start time change?
- The parish publishes two sets of hours, a summer season and a winter one. From June to September the market opens at 9am rather than 8am, closing at 12.30pm in both seasons.
- Is there another market in Beechworth on the same day?
- Yes. The [Quercus flea market](/markets/vic/quercus-flea-market) also runs on the first Saturday morning, a short walk away on Ford Street, so the two can be done in one trip.