My First Visit to Queen Victoria Market

It was mid-2015, I was a freshman at the University of Melbourne. The first Semester was already underway and the pressure of four subject’s worth of classes had already started to ramp up. Not only was I new to the university, but I was also new to Melbourne. The sights, sounds, and the aura of this spectacular city had left me bewildered and eager to explore all the landmarks and the rich history that was veiled away from me due to my lack of knowledge. Additionally, anxiety and excitement were the twin emotions that overcame me at the thought of all the hidden secrets.  

My First Encounter with Queen Victoria Market

I was first introduced to Queen Victoria Market by the Tram announcer; it was the tram stop where I got on Tram 19 to go to my uni. I always wondered where the market was; all I saw around that place were cafés and a weird but enthralling novelty shop full of carnivalesque masks and obscure figurines. After talking to my university friends, I later found out that the actual market was behind all the cafés. Since I needed groceries, I decided that I would pay the market a visit the following day.

My First Time Visiting and Shopping at Queen Victoria Market

I found myself at the Queen Vic Market stop again and this time I was hell-bent on finding the market. I walked along the small road between McDonald's and the weird novelty shop and found myself experiencing a mild sensory overload:

• The market consisted of two blocks covered with what seemed like a large tent roofing.
• It housed an array of colours that seemed to have gotten more vibrant as I explored the area. From the bright and exciting spectrum of colours of fruits to the earthy tones of nuts and beans to the deep natural greens of vegetables, it had it all.
• The plethora of smells of that I experienced was something to behold; they were constantly changing and did not allow me to dwell on an individual fragrance.

Enough with the Spectacle, Time to Shop!

Not only did I go overboard with shopping for groceries, I bought souvenirs, coasters, novelty items and an obscene amount of cheese. For those of you reading this who are new to Melbourne, let me breakdown what you can get at Queen Victoria Market:

• Jewellery, clothing, fashion items and Australian memorabilia.
• Fruits, veggies, nuts, dairy products, meat products and fish are all aplenty.
• Food! You can munch on some nice snacks like meat pies and sausage rolls at the food court, but if you are really hungry, you have a pretty good variety of places to choose from. Kebabs, doughnuts and pizzas are just a few of the delicacies that are available.

Final Thoughts

Since 2015, I have been to Queen Victoria Market countless times; sometimes to shop, sometimes to watch the spectacular night market events. But one thing all my visits have in common is that I have enjoyed them immensely.

Article by: Mashrur from UniLodge on A'Beckett