A shopper’s guide to the best Townsville markets

Megan Arkinstall Megan Arkinstall
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Whether you’re after some fresh fruit and veg for your holiday home, a souvenir to remember your travels or a tasty bite from a local food vendor, try your luck at these best Townsville markets.

Shopping at Townsville markets is a win-win: it’s practical and fun at the same time. Find one-of-a-kind North Queensland souvenirs to take home, meet local creatives and farmers and listen to their stories, sample produce and delicacies grown and made in the region, enjoy live music and performances by local artists, all while supporting small businesses.

1. Cotters Market, Flinders Street

baked goods at Cotters Market Townsville
Stock up on freshly baked goods.

When: Every Sunday, 8am – 1pm

No matter what you’re looking for – a handwoven basket? A fresh bunch of blooms? Local honey in bulk? – you’ll likely find it at North Queensland’s largest market. Held in Flinders Street, in the heart of Townsville’s CBD, Cotters Market is a fun-filled morning out, with a diverse collection of more than 150 vendors, live entertainment, fresh produce, food trucks to feed rumbling tummies and a host of free events such as yoga and fitness classes, wildlife presentations, Q&As and more.

2. Willows Sunday Markets, Willows Shopping Centre Carpark

Willows Rotary Markets townsville
Find fresh produce and handcrafted goodies.

When: Every Sunday, 7:30am – 11:30am

This bustling farmers’ market is a short drive from the CBD, with its stallholders touting locally grown fruit and veggies, as well as handmade preserves and food, for 20 years. Handmade arts and crafts, clothing, homewares, plants and an assortment of other treasures make up the 100-plus stalls. It’s a great place to stock up on fresh produce if you’re staying in a holiday rental, then grab a coffee, browse the goods and enjoy some live entertainment.

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3. Strand Night Markets, Strand Park

strand night markets
Enjoy live music and food trucks as you wander these night markets.

When: First Friday of each month, 5pm – 9:30pm

Townsville’s balmy evenings are best spent on The Strand, the city’s waterfront promenade dotted with cafes, bars, and kids’ playgrounds. On the first Friday of every month, The Strand Park (pictured above) becomes a shopping and entertainment hub too, with lively night markets . Shop for locally made souvenirs and gifts, grab a bite to eat at one of the food trucks and relax under a darkening sky as you listen to live music from local acts.

4. Magnetic Island Markets, Horseshoe Bay Foreshore

Magnetic Island Markets, Horseshoe Bay Foreshore
Wander the beachfront at Magnetic Island Markets.

When: Every Sunday, 9am – 2pm

A visit to beautiful Magnetic Island isn’t complete without a jaunt to Horseshoe Bay. If you’re here on a Sunday – or staying a few days over a weekend – you’ll find this leafy foreshore bustling with stallholders and shoppers for its weekly market. Under the shade of palms and she-oak trees, just steps from the tranquil waters of this favourite beach, Magnetic Island Markets comprises locally made arts and craft, jewellery, fashion, homewares and food vendors, and live music by local musicians.

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5. Blak Art Markets, various locations

Blak Markets
Find authentic Indigenous arts, crafts and cultures.

When: Check the Facebook event page for upcoming dates and locations

Held by Big Eye Theatre – a small community-based performing arts organisation, which promotes First Nations stories and artists – Blak Art Markets is a unique market showcasing authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and crafts. Held at different locations every weekend, market-goers have the opportunity to buy genuine Aboriginal art, meet the artists themselves and listen to their stories first-hand, as well as enjoy cultural performances, dance and workshops, all while supporting the local Indigenous community.

6. Renegade Handmade, Currajong School Hall

Rengade Handmade Markets townsville
Peruse handmade products by local creatives.

When: Second Sunday of each month, 8am – 1pm

Forget mass-made trinkets: this boutique market is filled with authentic North Queensland souvenirs to remember your Townsville travels. Held on the second Sunday of each month, just 10 minutes from the city, Renegade Handmade is made up of just 60 stalls run by local creatives selling handmade products. Think clothing in bright, poppy fabrics, pottery, hand-painted accessories, original artworks and more.

Heading to Townsville soon? Check out our ultimate guide to the best things to do and places to eat and drink in Townsville.

Megan Arkinstall
Megan Arkinstall is a freelance travel writer who you’ll often find at the beach, bushwalking or boating with her young family. She loves reliving travel memories through writing, whether that be sipping limoncello in a sun-drenched courtyard of Monterosso or swimming with green turtles in the aquamarine waters of Tropical North Queensland.
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Exploding supernovas & gold fever: discover the past at this outback Qld town

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn .

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters , Four Mile , Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings . To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting . They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum . Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services . Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs . The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.