Mandjar Markets
A summer season of Sunday markets under the shade trees on Mandurah's eastern foreshore, run by a volunteer committee drawn from its own stallholders.
About this market
The name is the point. Mandurah takes its name from the Noongar word mandjar, meaning a fair or a place of exchange and trading, and the Sunday market that runs along the eastern foreshore from October to May borrowed it back. It sets up on the grass under the shade trees on Mandurah Terrace, looking out over the water.
A market run by the people selling at it
Mandjar Markets Assoc Inc is a not-for-profit, and its committee is made up of volunteers who are also traders on the day. That shows up in how the market is organised. The focus is handcrafted work and gourmet food rather than imported bulk stock, applications are assessed by the committee on what fits the market, and community not-for-profit groups get their sites free. Sporting clubs, schools and animal welfare organisations are the ones that take those spots, though the rules exclude political or religious stalls, second-hand goods and raffles. A standard 3m by 3m community site costs nothing at all.
Market at a glance
Six hours on a Sunday is a long trading day by market standards, and the foreshore setting is what makes it work. Stalls run in a strip along the footpath rather than in a block, so the market is something you walk through on the way somewhere else as much as a destination, with arts and crafts, gourmet food, children's activities and live entertainment spread along it. The one thing to keep in mind is that the City of Mandurah runs its own events on the same foreshore, and when it does, the market's location, date or times can shift slightly to accommodate them.
Mandjar Markets sit on ground that was a trading place long before it had a name in English. Mandjoogoordap, the Noongar name for the area, describes a meeting place, and its abundance of food from both the estuary and the land made it a significant gathering site for the Bindjareb people.
Good to know before you go
This is a seasonal market and the winter gap is real, so a June or August visit will find an empty foreshore. Within the October to May season it runs every Sunday, which makes it one of the few weekly markets in the Peel region. Come earlier in the day in high summer, because the shade trees only cover so much of the strip and the afternoon on the estuary gets hot. Foreshore parking fills up on Sundays, so allow extra time or park back in the city centre and walk down. Check the market's own channels before setting out in the middle of an event weekend, since the site can move.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When do the Mandjar Markets run?
- Every Sunday from October through to May, 9am to 3pm, along the eastern foreshore on Mandurah Terrace. They do not trade over the winter months.
- Who runs the market?
- Mandjar Markets Assoc Inc, a not-for-profit run by a volunteer committee whose members are stallholders at the market themselves.
- Can community groups have a stall?
- Yes. Sites for not-for-profit community groups such as sporting clubs, schools and animal welfare organisations are free of charge, though availability is limited.