Markets are the original classifieds. You see the item in front of you, you haggle face to face and you carry it home the same morning. Melbourne has a deep market culture, with something on almost every weekend of the year. The trick is knowing which one suits what you want, and that is what this guide is for.
The weekend markets in Melbourne below are the ones worth knowing. Some are for hunting bargains, some are for selling, and a couple do both.
Buying from a photo means trusting a stranger’s lighting and angles. Buying at a market means inspecting before you pay, testing what can be tested and talking to the person selling. It reminds me of the Sunday markets back home in Auckland, same trestle tables and thermos coffee, just on the other side of the ditch. You also leave with the thing the same morning, instead of waiting on a courier or a delivery window.
Camberwell is the one most Melburnians name first. It runs every Sunday in the car park at Camberwell Junction, on the corner of Station Street and Market Place, from about 7:00 am to 12:30 pm. Secondhand furniture, vintage clothes, records, retro bits and general bric-a-brac fill the rows. Sellers start packing up around 11:30 am, so the serious shoppers arrive before 9:00 am, while the good stuff is still on the tables.
Cash is king here, so bring small notes. And the early start is half the fun, especially once the coffee van gets going.
Further north, Coburg Trash and Treasure runs on Sundays at the old Village Drive-In site on Newlands Road, Coburg. Buyers come from about 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, weather permitting. There is a small entry fee for adults, kids get in free, and sellers start setting up from about 6:00 am with no booking needed.
It leans towards antiques, tools, furniture and collectables, and the feel is a little more relaxed and local than Camberwell. If you want a slower morning and the chance of a tool bargain, this one is worth the drive.
In the west, Laverton Market is one of the largest and longest-running markets in Melbourne, operating since 1974. It opens Saturdays and Sundays, and it spreads over undercover pavilions and open ground with room for more than a thousand stalls. Secondhand goods, tools, electronics, plants and clothing all turn up, so there is usually a bit of everything.
The car boot spaces are the useful part for sellers. You drive in and sell from your car, and entry is cheap, paid per car or per person. It is the easiest way to test selling at a market without committing to a booked stall.
Not every market is about secondhand bargains. St Kilda Esplanade Market runs every Sunday along the bay, roughly 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and later in daylight saving, with local makers selling art, jewellery and design. Rose Street Artists’ Market in Fitzroy runs Saturdays and Sundays around the same hours, and is a launch pad for emerging artists and designers.
These two are better for buying handmade than for cheap secondhand, and the crowd is different. If you are after a gift with a story, they are the ones to visit.
Two rules cover most of it. Come early for the best stock, and come late for the best price, because sellers would rather drop the number than pack it all back into the car. Inspect before you pay, test electronics where you can and know what a fair price looks like before you start haggling.
Bring cash, and bring a bag or a trolley. Only buy the big furniture if you have a way to get it home, because “I will come back with the ute” is how good bargains get sold twice.
Whether a stall pays for itself depends on what you are selling. Fees vary, from a small site fee at the Coburg-style markets to a daily car boot rate at Laverton, while Camberwell sellers book ahead and are often regulars. Ask before you go, so there are no surprises on the day.
Markets suit the bulky or heavy things that are a pain to post: furniture, tools, kids’ gear, records and books. If you are wondering where to sell secondhand goods in Melbourne and your lot is big, a market stall can clear it in a single morning. It costs you a weekend, though, while a listing online reaches more buyers but costs you photos, replies and the odd no-show. Both work, so it comes down to whether you value your Saturday or your patience more.
If you are hunting, start at Camberwell early, then wander over to Coburg for the tools. If you are selling a boot full of furniture, Laverton is the easiest pitch. Whichever you pick, there is something quietly good about a Melbourne market on a Sunday morning: the trestle tables, the thermos coffee and the first bargain of the day.
Camberwell Sunday Market – official hours and site; Coburg Trash and Treasure Market – official details; Laverton Market – official site.
