Spring into our Coastie Market Guide
From the shore of Avoca’s lake to The Entrance’s lagoon, every weekend, somewhere on the Coast, a local market springs to life.
The Coast’s markets are as much about farm fresh produce from surrounding areas as creating a regular outlet for crafty Coasties to get entrepreneurial in their own backyard.
They’re also a great chance to head outdoors for the weekly shop and swap fluorescent lights and supermarket aisles for fresh air and sunshine, while supporting local business.
Here’s our Spring guide to the Coast’s markets.
The stallholders at Terrigal Beach Markets have one helluva office on the first Saturday of the month. Their view is nothing but blue out over beautiful Terrigal beach. There’s chic clothing, lovely homewares, pretty jewels and gorgeous blooms. It’s hard to find a better place to potter about on a sunny Saturday.
Further north there’s the Organic Food Market held alongside The Entrance’s lagoon in Memorial Park from 9am to 2pm every Saturday.
The weekly Gosford Farmer’s Market is held at Gosford Showground on Showground Road (formerly at the Entertainment Grounds) every Sunday from 730am to 1pm offering handmade pasta, glossy greens, ethical eggs and freshly baked bread to locals for more than four years.
The casual, street-style market is run by NSW Farmers Market, an association which runs farmers’ markets across the state including the Wyong City Farmers Market on the first and third Saturday of each month at Wyong Racecourse.
Foodies rejoiced when Greedy Guts Markets launched at Terrigal three years ago, bringing the exotic flavours of the world to the Beery under the Crowne Plaza on a Friday night (usually the second or third Friday of the month). An extravaganza of savoury and sweet flavours are on display each month with pimped up donuts, waffles and burgers usually in the mix, as well as healthy and vegan options.
A truly community event, the Umina Beach Markets lure locals to the Peninsula Recreation Precinct at Umina Beach on the third Sunday of the month. Stalls, many with a vegan twist, fill the grassy areas from the surf club to the skate park offering everything from candles to cupcakes, doughnuts to dog treats, and jam to jerky.
Lining the shores of Avoca’s pretty-as-a-picture lake, the Avoca Beachside Markets are a main event on the Coast. With somewhat of a cult status as far as markets go, traffic often comes to a standstill in and out of the small beachside suburb when ABM rolls into town from 9am to 2pm on the fourth Sunday of the month. More than 120 stalls pop up in Heazlett Park offering all manner of up-cycled, recycled, pre-loved, vintage and bespoke one-of-a-kind treasures. A live stage acts as a launch pad for the Coast’s emerging musical talent including The Voice winner Ellie Drennan and grand finalist Nathan Hawes.
The biggest undercover markets on the Coast, Shelly Beach Markets are as cool and quirky as the fuchsia flamingos they have become synonymous with. Boasting everything from fudge to fairy floss and flavoured pop corn; bespoke bibs to boho bassinets and cupcakes, candles and cushions galore – there’s so much diversity, creativity and originality on display, it can take hours to get around to every stall. The markets are held from 9am to 2pm on the last Saturday of the month at Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College (the old Entrance High School).
Spring sees the return of the biannual French Country Market. The red, blue and white bunting will again be strung at Chertsey Primary School, Springfield, on Saturday November 9. With baguettes in baskets, French fries in cardboard cones, vintage Champagne ice buckets, soap from Marseille and general bric-a-brac, it’s the market du jour for local Francophiles.G
Coastal Chic Tip: While most stallholders now have handy mobile Eftpos options, it’s always handy to have some cash in your purse when you head to a market
