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Category: Stories

Read the stories that shaped the Red Hill Community Market into the legacy it is remember for today. The Red Hill Community Market is temporarily closed.

  • My Favourite Market

    My Favourite Market

    by Martin & Meredith Foster

    Meredith and I first heard about the Red Hill Market from the person who interviewed us at Aus House, London, in 1975, before we left the UK to settle on the Mornington Peninsula.

    Our first Red Hill Market was in February, 1977. I drove off down the Nepean Highway in an open Mini Moke. The sun rose on one side and the moon set on the other, while ahead in the distance was an electrical storm.

    I set up in what others seemed to think was a free spot. Later, when Cathy Thompson, one of the organisers, came along, I was fortunate that she had already heard of my spork and foon jewellery and Meredith’s portraits and she welcomed us to the market. The weather was great and I was overjoyed to go home that day with about $100. I had recently left a job cleaning cars, forty hours a week for $100. Even running out of petrol on the way home didn’t spoil things!

    Since then we have missed very few markets.

    I can remember the bad days, e.g. going home with twenty cents that I found on the ground (that day it was just too wet to even think about setting up). Another time I had to use all my weight to stop the stall blowing away, while the wooden roof supports were cracking and the tarp was ripping in the blast.

    Meredith is now doing portraits of the children of people she drew when they were young themselves. It’s always been a good showcase for her work.

    Red Hill has atmosphere and a great variety of goodies. It’s my favourite market!

  • Since 1976

    Since 1976

    by Joy Coleman, 1989

    I began my stall experience at Red Hill Market in early 1976 when my art group paid one dollar to hire space to show paintings for sale. In those days it was first in, first served, for a site and we decided to hang our work on the northern tennis court fence. We did not make a sale and my fellow artists were not eager to rise at 4:30am to set up in the dark and cold so they dropped out leaving me to continue on my own.

    My next site was with a trellis leant on the wall of the large pavilion near the south west door. Unfortunately, I was right under a hole in the spouting which leaked profusely and soaked both me and the ground around me. After a high wind blew all my works of art into the mud I decided to shift camp to a new venue.

    I chose a vacant stall sheltering in the old pavilion near the road. Although the stalls didn’t extend up that far at that time at least I was warm and dry. I was later joined by the soap and candle folk, a plant seller and a wooden sign carver. The Community School pancake tent came along side and a profusion of stalls followed. I was devastated when the rebuilding of that pavilion was mooted and I was evicted I moved to the main pavilion where, fortunately, I have been located ever since.

    I have had many varied experiences during my years at Red Hill and a number of funny ones come to mind.

    One day I sold some of my Australian native flower collages to an American with an accent as broad as the brim on his Texan hat. He told me that they were the most original Australian gifts he was taking home as he had actually met the maker, all the time he was shaking my hand in a vice like grip and whilst smiling appreciatively. I was in absolute agony as I have a muscle wasting disease in my thumbs and feared I may never use them again. I get a great thrill out of knowing that little bits of me are hanging all over the world when I make sales like that one.

    I have learnt not to hang my paintings at dogs’ back legs’ level as I had one painting rendered unsaleable when a dog showed what he thought of it by weeing on it, ruining both canvas and frame!

    Two young women came to my stall one day saying they were so glad to have found the Country Women’s Association stall. My helper, Lois Carter, and I explained that we were not C.W.A. at all, and they happily replied that they knew that, but they always called ladies with big busts C.W.A. ladies!

    In 1977 framing friends Jean and Bob Stone joined in the market selling lovely home tanned sheep skin rugs, the sale of which was very welcome when cattle prices plummeted. The Stones would always sell out their tanned rugs and pack up long before I could and they would come up to my stall to offer me a long awaited cup of black tea from their thermos. Onlookers were always unaware that their welcome pick-me-up was decanted sweet sherry! Jean had to give up her tanning because the kerosene she used affected her chest and when the pet goat, Della, keeled over after eating the residue from the fleeces, she decided to call it quits.

    One morning a lass asked me what sort of pickles I had in my conserve area. I eagerly named a string of vegetables which made up about eight varieties. She didn’t seem impressed and asked me did I have any made with “just pickle”? I am still scratching my head at that request.

    Several years ago we changed vehicles and had to come to the market with a small tray truck. My husband rigged up a frame and canopy which set up a flop in the wind, and we strongly resembled the Clampetts as we virtually sailed down the road early in the morning to the market.

    Conducting a stall at Red Hill has been a wonderful study of human behaviour as one encounters all sorts of different characters, the generous, the mean, the undecided, the impulsive, the excited, the old, the young, all friendly and pleasant. In nineteen years I have never had a single complaint.

    I have loaned complete strangers rain coats, umbrellas, gloves and even gum boots. I have minded their purchases, their dogs and babies, have fed their toddlers, rested their grand parents and taken their cheques and I have never been let down by anyone in all that time.

    It is my fervent hope that the spirit of the market continues to flourish as, although it has its imitators, Red Hill is unique.

  • The Red Hill Market. Twenty Years On.

    by Cathy Thompson, 30 June 1995

    If you haven’t been to the Red Hill Market for years, come and meet the new generation of stallholders.

    It really is “The mother of all craft markets” as it was the first market with the concept of both making and selling the product yourself.

    People who originally came with their parents are now bringing their own children or have taken up stall sites themselves.

    Cate and Ross Corby are wonderful examples of the way the system operates. Cate’s mother, Margot Hammonds is a long time stall holder, painting fabric in gorgeous hues to wear as shirts and T shirts. Ross at 14 was making cakes with his parents until he grew old enough to take over the stall. Now Ross and Cate, parents of two beautiful boys, are the creators of that delicious chocolate confection, the famous Red Hill Mud Cake.

    Barry Wright was a founding member of the Red Hill Market and now his son, Cameron Wright has taken over the stall, selling more and different varieties of the bush incense that his father created. His fiancee, Rosie Breen, decorates hats in a very individual style.

    The love of rose gardening has been passed on from mother to daughter and Allison, Carole Stapleton’s daughter, hopes to continue the tradition her mother began with her hardy well grown plants.

    The Red Hill Market is a microcosm of society’s everchanging face and features stall holders from eight to eighty, from all walks of life, who enjoy the market scene for a multitude of reasons.

    “I love coming to the market” says Catriona Morrison. “When I was little, I had a stall with my family selling banana fritters, banana cakes etc. I remember the build up to each market day, worrying about the weather. The money paid for our holiday each year. Now I’m putting a home together and love buying the individual pieces available at the market. It’s been a part of my life for many years and it’s continues to have a special appeal which keeps me coming back, to see what’s new and what’s changed”

    So set your alarm, get to the market early and enjoy a breakfast of crepes and coffee or delicious egg & bacon rolls, then set out on a tour of discovery and see what you think of the Red Hill Community Market, twenty years on.

  • Reminiscences

    by Ruth and Ray Tilley & family

    My daughter-in law, Elaine, attended the first Red Hill Market in September, 1975, with her cousin, Heather, but only as interested locals, not as stallholders. They liked what they saw and returned the next month with some vegies to sell from the boot of the car. Selling from the back of the car lasted only a few markets before the farm truck had to be used to satisfy the demand for fresh vegetables.

    We have memories of those early days. We remember lifting up lost young ones onto our truck at its elevated site on the corner where the old basketball courts were. From there they could see over most of the market to look for parents or be seen by them.

    One day a customer was querying us as to the suitability of the size of our onions for pickling. A lady sitting at the stall next to ours joined in the discussion, saying they were the size she always used. Thanks, Dame Phyllis Frost, for helping us make that sale.

    Other sales that we remember making were baby carrots to Tony Barber and spring onions to Edwin Maher. Peter Couchman wasn’t hungry. Can’t win them all!

    Another recollection we have is the making of a snowman on the tennis courts by the few who were at the market the day of the big, freezing hailstorm SPECIAL Queens Birthday weekend market.

    Thanks for the memories as sellers. From now on we come as buyers and lookers. (The Tilley Family retired in March, 1995, after almost twenty years as stallholders at the Red Hill Community Market.)

  • Red Hill Community Market Stallholder Market Day Rules

    Red Hill Community Market Stallholder Market Day Rules

    We list below your undertakings as stallholders at the Red Hill Community Market. Please read them carefully.

    1. Stalls must be set up no earlier than 6 am and no later than 7 am.

    2. All goods offered for sale must be home produced by the stallholder.

    3. Stall frontage is restricted to 8′ (children’s stalls 3′).

    4. Only one car is to be parked at each stall position (children’s stalls no car).

    5. One person must be responsible for the overall management of “community group” stalls.

    6. Stalls cannot be transferred to any other person nor shared wihout written approval.

    7. Stallholders are responsible for leaving their site and surrounding area clean. Stallholder rubbish is to be placed in the industrial bins.

    8. Only items listed on the application form may be sold unless otherwise approved in writing.

    9. If it is necessary to alter the prices listed on the application, the Committee is to be informed in writing.

    10. Craft items with fauits must be clearly labeled as seconds.

    11. ** Recommendations of the Health Surveyor of the Shire of Flinders must be strictly followed by people selling food or drinks (available from the Committee of Management).

    12. Animals (pets and livestock) may only be sold subject to guidelines established following the recommendations from the RSPCA (available from. Committee of Management).

    13. Dodgers may not be distributed on the reserve. Raffle tickets may not be sold at the Market.

    14. Credit cards may not be displayed. 15. For public safety, cars must not be moved before 11:30 am.

    THE COMMITTEE ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO GOODS NOR INJURY TO ANY PERSON DURING MARKET DAY.

    THE COMMITTEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW THE RIGHT TO TRADE OF ANY STALLHOLDER NOT CONFORMING TO THE STATED CONCEPT OF THE MARKET: ‘MAKE IT BAKE IT GROW IT BREED IT’

  • Red Hill Market Story

    by Karen Meyer

    My father suggested I look into taking a stall at the new Red Hill market after I had arrived home from two years of traveling overseas.

    On the first Saturday in November, 1975, I parked my Mazda Bongo van amongst a few other stallholders along the dirt track by the oval and, with the help of my parents, set up my first stall. I had spent $18 on ingredients and, using all wholesome foods, had made muesli cookies, curried vegie pies, salad sandwiches, cheesecakes and hummus. Displaying a few clothes I had also made we sat and waited. I came home with $15, a cheesecake I had destroyed from sitting on it and the experience of enjoyment from meeting other stallholders and locals.

    At the December market I doubled the takings and my father, with a money-making gleam in his eye, did some calculating and declared that the market looked promising. My father supported me at every market until his death in 1978, while my mother has been my constant market companion for the twenty years, taking over for a while around the birth of my daughter in 1979.

    Marli was very much a market baby, learning to walk, talk, sell and shop at the Red Hill Market. She is even a little addicted to the early morning adventure of setting up the stall in the dark then buying a hot chocolate or a plate of hot, luscious mini pancakes. Marli has now taken over making the hummus, which after twenty years I don’t mind in the least!

    I love the Red Hill Market for many reasons

    • the early morning activity
    • the good humor of the stallholders
    • the incredible variety of good quality and interesting goods
    • my family stall
    • the many strong friendships formed
    • the friendly market committee

    As for those 6am early morning shoppers, they deserve medals!

  • 20th Anniversary of the Community Market at Red Hill

    by Betty Heywood

    Congratulations to the pioneers of the Red Hill Community Market, Beth Wilson, Cathy Thompson and Carole Stapleton. Twenty years have flown since the first market had its humble beginnings in a Church Hall for the local folk to sell or swap their craft and hobbies and over-abundant home garden produce. The theme of the Market is Make it Bake it Grow it Breed it, and all goods must be home produced and sold by the stallholder. The first Market proved so popular that the coordinators hired the Red Hill Recreation Reserve for the first Saturday in October and the Red Hill Community Market was born.

    After the first Market a friend told me about it and said it would be an ideal place to sell my craft etc. I started at the second Market with a card table to put my bark brooches on and took pot luck on my stall site, which was outside, and thank goodness the weather was fine. Beth, Carole and Cathy were most helpful and understanding as their idea had grown to extraordinary proportions and the stallholder response was overwhelming.

    As the years went by I got a permanent site in D Shed and I have been there to this day, selling the different craft I make in my spare time and the excess produce from our home garden. The Make it Bake it Grow it Breed it has been the special theme for the Red Hill Market and the first Saturday in September to the first Saturday in May is known throughout Australia.

    I am very pleased to have been chosen to hold a stall at the Red Hill Market as the waiting list is long and the requirements and quality of goods are excellent due to the very strict guidelines of the Market management.

    The early morning start is unbelievable. Cars, trucks, vans etc. arrive at the Recreation Ground in a steady stream of headlights and the outside stalls get very busy setting up in the early morning light while the shed stallholders wait for Beth to arrive to open up before 6am. The shed lights up and in a matter of minutes the whole place is a hive of activity setting up stalls and, even before the stalls are ready, the early bird shoppers are doing the rounds.

    I owe a special thank you to all members of my family for unfailing help and support which has enabled me to continue with my hobby, and especially to my husband Len for being so understanding and helpful with the early morning start and setting up of my stall on Market day.