Carrara Markets

The Gold Coast’s Carrara Markets are held on the corner of Manchester Road and Gooding Drive, Carrara, every Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 3pm and are a great day out for the family with buskers, pony rides, baby animal farm, bungy trampolines and face painters. 

Carrara is Australia’s largest permanent marketplace with over 300 variety and produce stalls, cafes and attractions. The northwest corner of the market precinct is home to an 18-hole themed putt putt mini golf attraction and a beautiful Butterfly House with hundreds of butterflies inside a greenhouse garden.

The Big Shed is home to the fresh fruit, veg and produce, sticked full thanks to local growers like Tweed Valley’s Guinea Farms.

There are also plenty of market stalls selling a huge array of plants, pots and outdoor products.

You can also pick up almost any decorative artificial plant you might imagine from the huge well-stocked warehouse on Pall Mall.

If it’s succulent plants you’re after, look no further than Mother J’s Crazy Plant Lady living gift shop.

Carrara Arts and Framing is another big and busy business on Pall Mall.

A favourite with the kids is Everything Reptile thanks to the opportunity to hold a baby crocodile while the parents shop for all pet related products.

There are a number of crystal, mystic and tarot stalls, with the intriguingly name Spellbound Society giving off curious witchy vibes.

After food and women’s fashion, the next biggest category of stalls falls under gifts and souvenirs … because you never know when someone will want a room-sized replica of the tall ship Bounty.

Not far from Spellbound is Crystal forces which is another crystal, mystic and tarot stall full of spiritually charged products.

Thankfully, there are more cafes and food stalls than any other type of store, and the centrally located Hungry Hub and Bevy Bar is an obvious favourite.

Not far from the Hub, you’ll find healthy options including vegan, vegetarian, gluten and diary-free options on offer.

There are some delightfully appointed sculptures and statues littered throughout the market precinct, such as the very cute Brussel Sprout.

Not so endearing is the two-story towering wooden structure of a python ready to strike.

Kids might like the snake, but they much prefer interactive amusements such as the fishing game, which guarantees that every child wins a prize.

You may lose your daughter in the bead store, but the choc-o-block candy store is an even bigger threat with its wall-to-wall boxes of lollies making it a consistent favourite among the littlies.

There are more than a dozen permanent women’s fashion outlets, along with a dozen homeware stalls, at least nine jewellery stalls, and just as many gift and toy shops. You can get your hair cut or your watch fixed. There’s a lawyer, an engraver and a cyber-café. 

You really can get just about anything at Carrara Markets, so what are you waiting for?

By Michaela Lyons