Lions Loch Market
The Lions Club of Strzelecki's first project, running on the second Sunday since November 1997 and moving indoors for winter.
About this market
The Lions Club of Strzelecki held its first Loch market in November 1997, and it was the club's inaugural project rather than something it inherited. It has run on the second Sunday of the month ever since, drawing more than 100 permanent stallholders from South Gippsland and beyond and between 750 and 1,000 visitors on a normal market day.
Two markets, one Sunday of the month
From October to April the market is outdoors on the railway reserve, spread across open ground on the edge of the village. From May to September it moves indoors to the public hall on Smith Street, which keeps it running through a South Gippsland winter that would otherwise close it. The two halves feel genuinely different. The summer market is bigger and more sprawling, the winter one tighter and warmer, and the stall mix of local produce, crafts and bric-a-brac survives both. Entry is a gold coin donation at either.
Market at a glance
A service club running a market of this size is not a small undertaking. Volunteers put in roughly 200 hours of work for each market day, and the proceeds go back out to local schools, community services and a range of charities rather than to an operator. That model is also why the stall fees stay low enough for a genuine hobby producer or a one-table craftsperson to book a site, which is what keeps the bric-a-brac and second-hand corner alive alongside the produce.
The market has raised more than $100,000 for local schools, community services and charities across a five-year span, and it was the Lions Club of Strzelecki's very first project when it started in November 1997.
Good to know before you go
The venue changes with the season, so confirm which one before you drive: railway reserve October to April, public hall on Smith Street May to September. The summer and winter sessions also run to different opening and closing times, and published listings do not agree on them, so treat the sidebar and any third-party listing as a guide and check with the organisers if you are arriving on a tight schedule. Loch is a small village on the South Gippsland Highway between Korumburra and Wonthaggi, an easy detour on a Phillip Island or Prom run. Bring a gold coin for entry and cash for the stalls. This is Bunurong country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the Lions Loch Market on?
- The second Sunday of every month. From October to April it sets up outdoors at the railway reserve, and from May to September it moves indoors to the Loch public hall on Smith Street. The summer and winter sessions run to different times, so check with the organisers before travelling for a specific hour.
- Is there an entry fee?
- A gold coin donation is encouraged rather than a fixed charge.
- Where does the money go?
- To local schools, community services and charities. The Lions Club of Strzelecki has raised more than $100,000 through the market across a five-year span.