Natimuk Farmers Market Plus
A Wimmera producers' market run a few Sundays a year by the local agricultural show society, in a town of about 400 people.
About this market
Natimuk Farmers Market Plus is run by the Natimuk Agricultural Show Society at the town's showgrounds on Jory Street, and unlike most markets in this directory it does not run monthly. The society schedules a handful of Sundays across the year, usually including a Christmas market in December, plus a separate market on Show Day in March, which falls on a Saturday. Stallholders pre-book because sites are limited.
A small town with an unusually wide catchment
Natimuk had a recorded population of 421 at the 2021 census, which would ordinarily mean a very small market. It does not, because the stallholders come from across the Wimmera and the nearby Grampians rather than the town itself. Farm-fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade preserves and artisan breads share the ground with handcrafted jewellery, homewares, plants and artworks, and there is a sausage sizzle, crepes, tea and coffee at every market. The arts presence is real rather than decorative: Natimuk began as a farming service town and has since drawn a substantial community of artists, and the stall mix shows it.
Market at a glance
Being run by the show society rather than a standalone committee shapes the character of the day. The society's annual show is a long-running fixture of the Wimmera calendar, and the market inherits both the showgrounds and the volunteer base behind it, which is why the Show Day market in March is usually the busiest of the year.
Ten kilometres west of Natimuk stands Mount Arapiles, known as Dyurrite, which carries more than 3,000 climbing routes and is widely regarded as the birthplace of Australian traditional climbing. A town of a few hundred people supports a climbing community drawn from around the world, which is a fair part of why the market is bigger than the population suggests.
What to sort out before the drive
Check the date first. This is the one market in the region where turning up on a random Sunday will not work, because there are only a few markets a year and the dates move. Listings disagree on the finishing time, with the show society giving a longer window than the tourism sites, so treat the 9am start as the certainty and ask the organisers if you need the closing hour. Natimuk sits on the Wimmera Highway about 25 kilometres west of Horsham, and combining the market with a morning at Mount Arapiles is the obvious way to build the trip. This is Wotjobaluk country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How often does Natimuk Farmers Market Plus run?
- A handful of times a year rather than monthly. The regular markets fall on Sundays and usually include a Christmas market in December, with an extra market on Show Day in March, which is a Saturday. Check the dates before travelling.
- Where is it held?
- At the Natimuk Showgrounds, 48 Jory Street, Natimuk, about 25 kilometres west of Horsham.
- Who runs it and is there an entry fee?
- It is run by the Natimuk Agricultural Show Society, the same organisation behind the annual Natimuk Show. Admission is free.