There have always been stories going round about Paddington Markets. Like the one about the industrial designers who, finding themselves broke, created some interesting frames around pieces of mirror, and sold the results at the markets. The public was so taken with these mirrors, that the two designers ended up making a fortune and had paid off their delightful inner-city terrace house within two years.
That may or may not be an urban myth (though the tellers of the tales always swear they know the two gentlemen and have, in fact, been to parties at the terrace house), but what is certainly true is that Paddington Markets are a magnet for the up-and-coming stars of fashion, jewellery and graphic design. The proof can be found in the shops that line fashionable Oxford Street: there you will find designer stores like Von Troska doing a very healthy turnover. This designer started with a humble stall at the markets across the road.
Sydney has many interesting markets, with Paddington being the one where you’re most likely to find unique clothes and accessories, along with precious and semi-precious jewellery, among other things. The markets, which are always crowded, are open every Saturday until 4pm, on the grounds of the local Uniting Church.
Paddington Markets, which is a venerable institution, is not to be confused with Paddy’s Markets, another important piece of Sydney’s living history. Paddy’s Markets – in two locations at Haymarket and Flemington – is a more jumbled affair, where you’ll find cheap watches and sunglasses, toys and CDs and everything else from clothes to fresh fruit and flowers. The Haymarket Paddy’s, which is most visited by tourists, has been around for more than 150 years, when it grew out of a ‘fringe’ market on the outer edge of the city’s hay and grain market. Over the years the second hand dealers found themselves sharing space with farmers and fairground performers, until Paddy’s finally became today’s modern market near the entertainment centre. It’s also a very good place to find souvenirs of Sydney.
If what you’re after is a unique piece of Australiana, then visit the Sydney Opera House Markets, which operates on the famous forecourt every Sunday (unless it rains). Apart from the extraordinary view of the Harbour, it also has around 40 stalls selling Australian made art, craft, souvenirs and clothing. Everything is handmade, and most of the makers are available to talk you through what inspired them to create the piece.
Around the other side of Circular Quay, you’ll find another important market, The Rocks Markets, open every Saturday and Sunday. This is an interesting market, selling an eclectic range of items under canvas umbrellas, from handmade furniture, to antiques and collectables, to fashion and beauty products. You can pick up some amazingly good bargains, like a set of beautiful damask bed linen in blue or crisp white from Damask Linen Collection or an Aboriginal-made boomerang.
The Rocks Markets has recently undergone a transformation bringing in The Farmers’ Market every Friday with fresh produce from genuine farmers and producers.
Food, by the way, is Sydney’s forte and there are many food markets worth visiting. One of the biggest produce markets is the EQ Fresh Produce Markets located at the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park, next to Fox Studios.
One of the attractions of EQ, as it’s known, is that you just might see a Hollywood star stroll past – if you’re very lucky. And if you don’t, the produce market is a good compensation. Held every Wednesday and Saturday from 10am-3.30pm, it offers the chance to sample cakes, pastries, cheese, chocolates, bread and more, along with fruits and vegetables grown in a variety of ways, from conventional to hydroponic to organic. Many of the producers man their own stalls, giving out samples and explaining how the different methods of growing and preparing affect the final taste. You’ll know you’ve come to the entrance of the market when you spot a profusion of colour, which come from the flowers of Mayfarm Flowers.
EQ is the home of another market, EQ Village Sunday Market, which offers jewellery, beauty products, clothing, toys and homewares. EQ is the perfect place to finish a hard day’s shopping as you unwind in one of the many restaurants and cafés in the area.
Paddington Markets. 395 Oxford Street, Paddington.
Paddy’s Markets. Near Capitol Square, Haymarket.
The Entertainment Quarter. Lang Road, Moore Park.
The Rocks Markets. The northern end of George Street, City.