Malmsbury Farmers' & Artists' Market [third Sunday of the month]
An accredited farmers market that moves between the Village Green and the cricket reserve depending on the season, in a town best known for its bluestone.
About this market
The Malmsbury Farmers' and Artists' Market started in 2019 as an initiative of the Malmsbury Town Hall Committee, and it is one of the few markets in the Macedon Ranges that changes address twice a year. Summer markets run on the Village Green on Mollison Street. When the weather turns, the whole thing shifts to the Malmsbury Cricket and Recreation Reserve on Ellesmere Place.
Eighty producers on the third Sunday
The market is accredited with the Victorian Farmers Markets Association, which sets a standard for who is allowed to sell: growers and makers rather than resellers. Around 80 local producers trade across fresh produce, meats, dairy, beverages, baked goods and artisan crafts, with the artists' half of the name doing real work rather than sitting there for alliteration. It is plastic bag free and runs a leave no trace policy, so bring your own bags. Stall fees are pitched to keep the mix broad: a backyard producer site costs $20 against $40 for general access, which is how a market ends up with both established businesses and someone selling a glut of quinces.
Market at a glance
The annual Giant Pumpkin Competition is the market's set piece, with categories running from heaviest pumpkin down to a best-dressed section for children. Stallholders set up from 7:30am and have to be in place by 8:30am, so by the time the market opens the whole site is already assembled.
Malmsbury's bluestone built one of the largest engineering structures of nineteenth century Victoria. The Malmsbury Viaduct was erected from 1859 to carry the Melbourne to Bendigo railway across the Coliban River: five arched spans of 18.3 metres each, 25 metres high, using close to 4,000 cubic metres of bluestone cut from a quarry nearby. When it was completed in 1862 it was the longest stone bridge in Australia. It still carries trains.
Getting the venue right on the day
The single thing to check before setting out is which site the market is on, because the summer and winter venues are a few minutes apart and the switch is driven by weather rather than a fixed date. The Town Hall Committee posts the current location. Bring bags, since there are no plastic ones, and bring cash as well as a card. The viaduct is a short walk from either site and is worth the detour. This is Dja Dja Wurrung country, which the market acknowledges directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When and where is the Malmsbury market held?
- The third Sunday of every month, 9am to 1pm. The venue changes with the season: summer markets are on the Village Green on Mollison Street, and winter markets move to the Malmsbury Cricket and Recreation Reserve on Ellesmere Place because of the weather.
- Is this an accredited farmers market?
- Yes. The market holds accreditation with the Victorian Farmers Markets Association, and around 80 local producers trade across fresh produce, meats, dairy, beverages, baked goods and artisan crafts.
- What is the Giant Pumpkin Competition?
- An annual market event with categories running from the heaviest pumpkin through to a best-dressed pumpkin section for children.