Victoria · Cultural Landmark
Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne's 150-Year-Old Open-Air Market
schedule 2 min read / Updated Apr 2026
Melbourne's main open-air market, operating continuously since 1878 on a 7 hectare site at the northern edge of the CBD. It is the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere and the heart of Melbourne's food culture.
Queen Victoria Market has operated continuously on the same site at the northern edge of the Melbourne CBD since 1878, making it one of the longest-running open-air markets in the world. The market covers 7 hectares across two city blocks and contains a mix of open-air fruit and vegetable stalls, covered meat and seafood halls, and a huge general merchandise section selling clothing, souvenirs, electronics and homewares.
The market was originally built on the site of Melbourne's first general cemetery, which was relocated in 1917 to make way for expansion. Parts of the original cemetery still survive under the car park and are occasionally exposed during construction works. The market buildings themselves are heritage listed, including the Elizabeth Street sheds and the Wholesale Market building.
The market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings (closed Monday and Wednesday) from 6am for fruit and vegetable sellers through to 3pm (5pm Fridays). The deli hall and meat hall are open slightly different hours. Friday evening summer Night Markets run from November to March and are a major food and live music destination in their own right, drawing over 10,000 visitors each Friday.
The market is a 5 minute walk from Melbourne Central station and is a standard inclusion on any food-focused visit to Melbourne. The Saturday morning experience is the most traditional, when the fruit and vegetable sellers are in full voice and the coffee vans do their best trade of the week.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Queen Victoria Market.
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- Melbourne (AU), Queen Victoria Market -- 2019 -- 1535.jpg · Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Melbourne (AU), Queen Victoria Market -- 2019 -- 1542.jpg · Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Melbourne (AU), Queen Victoria Market -- 2019 -- 1543.jpg · Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
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