Former Masterchef Contestant Wants To Bring South Melbourne Market Energy to Geelong

When former Masterchef contestant Simon Toohey moved from Melbourne to Geelong three years ago, one thing stood out. While there’s the Geelong Waterfront Makers & Growers Market and the South Geelong Farmers Market (both twice-monthly), he realised there was nothing more frequent where he could buy fresh produce and a quick snack.

“I can’t go to Footscray market and get some noodles, or I can’t go to South Melbourne market and get a bunch of my favourite things and then head on home,” he says. “Sometimes there’s a market on but it’s two weeks away if it’s not, and sometimes it’s a month away. There’s never anything that gives us that solid sort of community and third space."

So he started Geelong City Market, a weekly Saturday market focused on produce, food, drink and creatives. It’ll launch on October 25 from 9am to 2pm on Little Malop Street.

The first market will include 42 stalls and will then expand to 60. At the inaugural market, expect Queenscliff seafood from Mi Shells, meat from Bird Rock Farm and organic vegetables from Soli Farm. Plus, stalls from South American restaurant Alma , Two Tins Patisserie, sourdough makers The Local, and Farm Dog Brewing, as well as a coffee cart from Two Lands.

Throughout the day, there’ll also be masterclasses, cocktail lessons, wine tastings and cooking classes.

Geelong City Market will begin as a pop-up market, but there are plans for permanent expansion in the future. Toohey’s goal is to open a South Melbourne Market -style destination and create a permanent space for Geelong’s produce vendors and creatives. "The idea is for it to be a third space, a community space where you go in, you buy your produce, you sit down and have coffee, and then the [market] restaurants are buying food from within the market as well,” he says.

Geelong City Market will run every Saturday from 9am to 2pm on Little Malop Street, between Moorabool Street and Yarra Street.

geelongcitymarket.com.au
@geelongcitymarket