News To Market to Market in Gippsland
Come hungry, leave happy: 7 Gippsland markets worth a morning.
Bring a big basket and very few breakfast plans. Gippsland’s markets are made for following your appetite, chatting with growers and finding something delicious you hadn’t even come looking for. From smoked trout and seasonal berries to jars destined for your next cheese platter, there’s plenty to fill a morning. And the boot.
Warragul Farmers Market (3rd Saturday of the month, Logan Park, Warragul) makes a persuasive case for bringing the cooler bag. Browse fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade preserves and baked goodies, then seek out smoked trout from Noojee’s Alpine Trout Farm. Fillets, pâté and dips could all make their way into your weekend spread. Add a bunch of locally grown flowers and suddenly the grocery run feels rather indulgent.
Leave room for a few unexpected finds at Rokeby Market (2nd Saturday of the month, September–May, Rokeby Recreation Reserve, Brandy Creek Road). Around 100 stalls bring together fresh produce, homemade baked treats and plants, alongside jewellery, handmade clothing and clever creations for the home. Follow your nose towards something tasty, meet the makers and browse at leisure. You may arrive thinking about morning tea and leave planning an entirely new garden bed.
Take your shopping list to the seaside at Inverloch Farmers Market (3rd Saturday of the month, The Glade, The Esplanade). Fill your basket with seasonal fruit and vegetables farm fresh eggs, bread, honey and olive oil, with meats, seafood and wine adding plenty of possibilities for dinner. Jams and chutneys deserve a little space too. With the beach and Rainbow Park close by, there’s every reason to turn a market morning into a much longer coastal outing.
Give the pantry some attention at Sale Producers Market (3rd Saturday of the month, Sale Showgrounds, Maffra–Sale Road). Jams and relishes sit alongside locally made arts and crafts, plants and an assortment of made and baked goodies. Pick up something for your next picnic, find a handmade gift and have a chat with the people behind the stalls. During winter, the market moves undercover, so a chilly morning needn’t put your browsing plans on ice.
Settle into a leisurely lap of Mirboo North Market (last Saturday of the month, except December, Baromi Park, Ridgway). Fresh produce, preserves and plants mingle with artisan goods and collectables, while food stalls, coffee and live music make a strong argument for sticking around. There's plenty to browse beneath the park's trees, and dogs on leads are welcome to join the outing. Better still, profits from running the market go back into community projects in town.
Breakfast comes with a particularly lovely outlook at Metung Market (2nd Saturday of the month, Village Green, Metung Road). Overlooking Bancroft Bay, the stalls tempt with fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, bread and pastries, plus nuts, preserves and locally made gin. Leave room for boysenberry waffles, then take your time choosing a few goodies for later. A waterfront wander is a very agreeable way to let breakfast settle.
Enjoy the leafy setting of Traralgon Farmers Market (4th Saturday of the month, Kay Street Gardens) while assembling a thoroughly tempting haul. Beef jerky, salami, pastured free-range eggs and seasonal berries are joined by organic sourdough, olives and olive oil. There's fresh gnocchi, pesto and sauces to make dinner easy, and Dutch mini pancakes to keep you happily occupied in the meantime. Shopping for later is hungry work, after all.
Published on under: Eat & Drink