Woodend Farmers Market

The Woodend Community Farmers' Market is now in its twelfth year and draws more than ninety regular and seasonal stallholders from across the Macedon Ranges and the districts around it. That makes it one of the larger farmers markets in the ranges. It runs on the first Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm, at the corner of Forest and High Streets in the centre of Woodend.

A sustainability group's market

The market is an initiative of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group, which shapes how it operates. It runs plastic bag free rather than merely encouraging shoppers to bring their own, and it holds accreditation with the Victorian Farmers' Markets Association, the state peak body, meaning stallholders have been verified as genuine producers rather than resellers. The two commitments together are the market's identity.

The range reflects the size of the stallholder list. Fruit and vegetables, honey, eggs, organic breads, preserves, herbs and potted plants, teas, prepared foods, meats and poultry all appear, which is close to a full grocery shop rather than a handful of specialty stalls. Live music and free face painting run alongside the trading, and the market is dog friendly, so it reads as a morning out rather than an errand.

Market at a glance

90+Stallholders

12thYear running

1stSaturday each month

VFMAAccredited

Before you head to Woodend

Woodend is about an hour from Melbourne on the Calder Freeway and sits on the Bendigo train line, so the market is reachable by public transport. The Forest and High Streets corner puts it in the middle of town, within walking distance of the shops and cafes, which makes a market Saturday an easy half day. Public toilets are available at the site.

Bring your own bags, since the market does not supply plastic ones. If you are planning a ranges weekend, note that Woodend runs on the first Saturday and the nearby Riddells Creek Farmers Market runs on the third, with Kyneton Farmers Market on the second, so the month offers several accredited markets rather than one. MRSG publishes each market's details on its website.