St Andrews Community Market

St Andrews Community Market has traded for decades in the heart of the Yarra Valley, and it's never shed its genuine hippie trading roots. The township of St Andrews itself has become synonymous with the market's alternative character, a reputation that predates most of the community markets now common across regional Victoria.

Decades of eucalypt, incense and street musicians

That distinctive atmosphere is exactly what keeps people coming back. The scent of eucalypt competes with incense every Saturday morning as an alternative crowd mingles over handmade crafts, shiatsu massage, chai and chakra alignment, backed by street musicians rather than a generic PA system playlist. Unlike most markets built around pure commerce, St Andrews operates as a not-for-profit, with all proceeds donated back to the local community beyond the market's own running costs.

Reviewers consistently rank it among the best community markets in Victoria, praising the handmade and non-commercial nature of the stalls, a genuinely chill environment, and a character reviewers describe as refreshingly different from the mainstream, commercially polished markets found closer to Melbourne.

Good to know before you go

Two separate entrances, one opposite the cafes and one at the bottom, are worth knowing about ahead of a visit to plan the easiest route in. Coming with an open mind rather than a specific shopping list suits the market's genuinely alternative, non-commercial character best.