If you ever come to live or visit Melbourne, chances are that you will stop by Queen Elizabeth’s Market. Centrally located in the city’s downtown area, Queen Victoria Market, or Queen Vic as some say, is a landmark of the city. There is a lot to do and to explore there, as it is the largest open market in the Southern Hemisphere. A few weeks ago I decided to take the tram and visit this famous sport. The day that I went, there was a special summer night market going on, where endless food spots were set up. It is quite easy to get lost inside the market, and as soon as I stepped inside I felt overwhelmed by the number of options available to choose from. Some of the food stands, which are sort of like food trucks, included: Italian, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, French, Indian, Japanese and Thai food. The night market is always booming, with lots of people walking around, getting food and drinks, enjoying the live music being played, and taking in the last few weeks of warm weather. The best thing I purchased that day was cane sugar juice, something that I used to enjoy as a child in Brazil but that I never find in the United States, so the sweet taste topped off with a bit of lemon took me instantly back to good old days.
Besides the food and drink stands, Queen Vic also offers other small vending spots and shops. On a regular market day, when the night market is not happening, the experience is quite different. There is an indoor area of the market where one can purchase cheese, dips, cold cuts, bread, fresh fish and meat, drinks, and much more. As you walk around the crowded hallways of the market, vendors will try to give you samples and convince you that they have the best value, top quality products. Many things at the market are a bargain, and worth going to for a weekly grocery restock. I was able to purchase two very nice kinds of cheese and a delicious Baba Ganoush dip for only AU$10, which is about US$7.
As you move to the outdoor section of the market, there is an ample amount of things to choose from. There you can find toys, kitchen tools, clothing, and much more. The most appealing part to me, and the one that seems to be the most popular, is the fresh fruits and vegetable section. There you can find the freshest produce for a fraction of the price you would pay at a supermarket. This is an amazing place to get inspired for meals for the week ahead and to try new fruits or vegetables not readily available in other parts of the world.
Something so magical about Queen Victoria Market is that it is a place where people from all walks of life come together to enjoy the space. You will encounter families walking around pushing strollers with their little ones, students rushing around to get the best deals, older people who take their time checking every aisle to get the most delicious looking vegetable, to tourists who cannot take two steps without stopping for a photograph, or anything and everything in between. In a way, Queen Victoria Market is a bit like they Haymarket that we have in Boston, especially in the sense of having an indoors and outdoors area. However, the market in Melbourne is much larger and the prices seem more reasonable, while at Haymarket the indoors area is quite pricey.
Queen Victoria Market is a booming place nowadays, and it has been this way for a lot of time. Since the 1860s, the market has stood tall and been a crucial part of Melbourne. Since opening its doors around the 1860s, the market has been a crucial part of Melbourne and has seen numerous expansions throughout. Although this is a beloved landmark, there is some controversy around the market. Where Queen Vic now stands, there once used to be a cemetery. This cemetery was the first one ever established in Melbourne, so many people lay to rest there. The controversy heavily comes into play because the area that the market expanded to was once a cemetery where Aboriginal Australians were buried. In 2006, a policy was passed called the Aboriginal Heritage Act which sets out to protect places of significance to Aboriginal people in the Victoria area. This now means that the Old Melbourne Cemetery area cannot be dug into. Even with these protections, some people still feel that it is not sufficient, especially considering the historical context of how badly Aboriginal Australians were treated by the Europeans. Meanwhile, others also feel like Queen Victoria Market is a historic landmark for them, and that the area should be protected, but for different reasons. Although the history of Queen Vic is not the most picturesque, I love learning more about the places that I get to visit around a city because the history is always so rich and the knowledge adds to the experience of seeing these landmarks.
