The Queen Victoria Market is one of Melbourne’s most iconic sites
The Queen Victoria Market is one of the city’s central cultural landmarks, and it is directly iconic, not only to Melbourne, but to all of Victoria. It’s the biggest open market in the Southern Hemisphere!
As the longest-standing, oldest market in Melbourne – the Queen Victoria Market is a significant place, and it’s seen a lot over the years.
It was an important element of Melbourne’s early development and has helped make it the city what it is today. But there is so much more to the Queen Victoria market than just fruit and veggies!
It’s steeped in history. It is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register, which means the building is protected and government-listed.
Retail in the 1970s has played an important role in Melbourne’s social and economic history, and the Queen Victoria Markets was an important part of the city’s early trade. It’s worn many different faces: It’s been a cemetery, a place for the exchange of livestock, and a centre for trading fruits and vegetables.
Origins of the land
Before the 1800s, the land was untouched by European settlers. The traditional custodians of the land are the Wurundjeri People from the Kulin Nation. There is a strong connection between the land and its traditional custodians.
Melbourne’s first cemetery
From 1837 to 1854, it was Melbourne’s first-ever cemetery. A large part of the land was sectioned off to be used as a cemetery (this is now the open car park section).
Nowadays, the part of the market that used to be a cemetery is now a car park. There’s even a fragment of the cemetery’s remains, marked on a brick wall near the F shed! If you look closely, you might be able to spot the marking, which is a remnant of the cemetery’s north wall.
Market origins: The Gold Rush
During the Gold Rush, the market played an important part in the city’s trade. It provided a space for the trade of local produce. As the demand for produce grew heavier, the market got larger. The very first market was called the Western Market, built in 1841. The Western Market operated for some time before it was later re-established in 1878. During this year, it was renamed as the Queen Victoria Market to honour Queen Victoria.
As the years went by, the markets began trading livestock, hay and corn, and fruit and veggies. The markets became extremely popular, and some areas had to be used as overflow to accommodate for the excess amount of stock that was being traded. The demand for produce continued to increase, so the market split into two sections: Lower Market and Upper Market. This was to distinguish between wholesale and retail.
The market in the 70s
In 1975, the Queen Vic Markets underwent a new makeover.
The 1970s saw a mixture of plans for the market to be rebuilt into a whole complex. The complex was going to have a whole trade centre and a hotel. However, the market-loving Melbournians publicly dismissed the idea, fighting for the market to remain in its original regal state.
However, it did undergo a 70’s makeover. The Market Hall was refurbished, and hot water pipes were fitted into the building through a new plumbing system. The meat deliveries were carried out through an overhead rail (look up in the markets, and you might see them still being used today!)
The present-day Queen Victoria Market
Now, the Queen Victoria Market is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a main tourist attraction in Melbourne, and it’s well-loved by Melbournians and tourists alike. A meeting place, an event space, and home to a colourful array of seasonal markets. This is one of Melbourne’s most quintessential hubs of local food, drinks, music and art.
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