Welcome to beautiful Burleigh

Just like the sign says.

I headed down the coast to Burleigh on Sunday morning to attend The Village markets.  These are fairly new markets billed as fashion, art and treasure markets.  Unfortunately a nasty storm reared its ugly head about 9.30am and although it blew over fast it did not bode well for my morning out.  I decided to drive down to Burleigh anyway and see if the market had survived.  As I arrived a bit later in the morning I could see the last two stalls packing up on the oval.  I decided to stay in Burleigh even though the markets were a bust and have a wander around as it’s been a while since I’ve been down that way.  I probably don’t visit the southern end of the Gold Coast enough and it’s a lovely area with an old school, laid back feel to it.  So here are some more pics of my Sunday morning.

Double shot latte to get the day off to the right start.

Montage of art – commissioned and otherwise.

Not too sure what the cat in the hat is smoking.

I just wonder what was in the speech bubble that’s been painted over.

Burleigh is a mix of old and new developments.  There is a growing cafe culture alongside old style arcades and the very popular Burleigh bowls club.

Old style arcade directly opposite a new development.

And of course there is the Burleigh Head National Park which starts just up the hill.

All in all it was a lovely morning, despite the market closing early, and I was able to have a nice look around on a sunny (eventually) Sunday morning.

Coffee and donut cupcakes

It’s like morning tea all rolled into one baked good.  Delicious and efficient.

End of the Green Flea markets?

Easter Saturday morning was spent visiting the Green Flea markets in Davies Park West End.  It’s a lovely market, full of good things to eat and drink and clearly packed to the gills with people filling up eco friendly bags with fresh produce.  Many of the stalls focus on produce, with a smattering of others selling deli products and assorted bits and pieces.  The food stalls are fantastic.  Lots of coffee and one great stall selling Hungarian pastries like lepeny and langos.  All delicious and cheesy. 

just one of the many produce stalls

Unfortunately the future of the market is unsure.  Recently the rights to hold the market in Davies Park were sold to a Sydney based company that holds the leases on other markets in Brisbane such as the Southbank markets.  If you haven’t seen both markets you might not be able to appreciate what makes one so different from the other, but basically the Southbank markets are very touristy, full of stuff you don’t need to buy regularly and don’t necessarily promote the community spirit that is so obviously present in West End. 

At the markets on Saturday I witnessed the full range of the local community (and a few ring ins) buying their weekly groceries, catching up with family, friends and stallholders, families on outings, people walking, biking and doing all things you would hope for in a community market (including a pointy eared elf serenading people with pipe music).  Clearly some of the customers were long term West End residents equipped with wheelie trolleys to cart away the beautiful fresh produce and baked goods.  Southbank is not that sort of market.  It is full of clothes, bags, and various other gimmicky things.  I know the only things I’ve bought there in the past few years have been cute badges from the badge stall, but it’s not a market to hold my interest for longer than about half an hour.  It’s definitely not a full morning outing.

sign at the stall where I bought my coffee

Sentiment from many locals and market attendees has ranged from the disappointed to the outraged, to others who don’t see what the problem is.  I guess my concern (even though I am not a regular attendee) is that existing stallholders won’t be able to continue on with new management.  Although the new management company Blue Sky Events says it has no plans to change the character of the markets, it is clear that current stallholders will have to contact new mangement for a place at the markets (see bottom of article).  So although they may have no particular plan for change, it is clear from the current state of the market that if the stallholders begin to change and others move in, then the tone of the market begins to change.

busy market crowds

I had a lovely Saturday morning in West End but it did leave me wondering whether my next trip there would be so good.  It seems such a shame that a market like this could potentially become a clone of a market we already possess.