Nothing makes you feel more like a functioning human than strolling through a lively market at the wee hours of the morning with the smell of fresh mangoes in the air.
It’s odd, too, because we don’t pat people on the back for getting up at the crack of dawn to line up at JB Hi-Fi, but we assume people have their lives sorted if they do that for a market. It’s essentially the same thing, no?
Nevertheless, markets are an outstanding way to kill some time, and even more so in Tropical Northern Queensland. That punnet of mangoes you were eyeing at the shops in Melbourne? $400 for the lot. The same amount (and better quality) at a QLD fruit stall? $2.99 a kilo.
I was lying about the Melbourne prices (barely) but the QLD mangoes are legit. You could feasibly purchase flights up from Victoria, buy your body weight in mangoes, fly home and it’d still be cheaper.
Now that I’ve opened your eyes to the wonderful world of QLD markets, let’s list a few that demand your presence posthaste.
Rusty’s Market
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I know we’re on dedicated fruit and veg watch here but I thought I’d throw in some flowers too, just to brighten up your day.
Rusty’s Market, located in Cairns City, is the market to hit up for all of your fresh groceries at a fraction of supermarket prices (mangoes can go as low as 99 cents, a QLD insider has told me).
It’s the cultural hub of Cairns – from coconut bowls, sugarcane juice and veggie samosas to jewellery and fresh coffee, there’s truly no reason to venture anywhere else.
According to locals (aka whoever runs the Rusty’s Market Instagram account), the best time of the day to head there is early in the morning, however for the late-risers, it’s open until late arvo between Friday and Sunday.
Skybury Papayas
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The papaya is a severely underrated fruit, perhaps because people just don’t know what they’re supposed to be looking for when they press it with a thumb at the supermarket.
Enter Skybury Papayas: not only do they teach you how to pick the perfect papaya (see a handy tutorial above, too), the Skybury farm also grows its own coffee, too.
Papayas and coffee, the duo we never knew we needed until now.
Yungaburra Markets
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If you’ve stumbled across the rural town of Yungaburra on your travels, ensure you stop in at the market to get the full-blown local experience.
Apparently, most people there know each other which means you’re bound to overhear a conversation or two about some other hidden gems in the area.
You’re not going to get much fresher than handpicked fruit and veg that someone’s carted over from their own veggie patch, and if you were wondering just what on earth those fruit are in the Insta above?
Chocolate pudding fruit. Well, technically called black sapote, but their nickname is chocolate pudding fruit because they taste like actual chocolate pudding.
I know, I know. I didn’t know this was a thing either, and here I am eating a basic pear like a sucker.
Mission Beach Markets
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I spy with my little eye….a lot of unrecognisable plants and veggies. I clearly need to broaden my horizons.
At Mission Beach Markets (on the last Sunday of every month), you’ll find a slew of stalls similar to the one above that offer ‘Fruits of the Rainforest’, which essentially translates to produce and plants you won’t find any time soon at your local Woolies.
Come for the mystery grub, stay for the beach that’s a short walk from the markets themselves.
Just don’t buy your food first, leave it all in the hot car and then take a four-hour dip in the water. Common sense, people, common sense.
The Humpy
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From what I can gather after perusing The Humpy’s tag on Instagram, people seem to froth the name just as much as what The Humpy has to offer.
Nearly.
As well as local fruit and veg, The Humpy (hehe) also has a smorgasbord of local jams, nuts and sauces.
I’m particularly excited about the jam aspect because you truly cannot beat homemade jam. Cop that, Kraft.
Port Douglas Markets
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My Dad goes up to Port Douglas a few times a year for work, and for someone who hates to travel further than the driveway, he hasn’t a bad word to say about any of it.
I think I’ve overheard him hint at retiring up there numerous times, but I can’t be sure if he wants to retire up there or just wants to leave now without a trace. I’d rather not dig into it.
Either way I can see his point though, Port Douglas looks darn glorious.
The markets are open every Sunday between 8:30am and 1pm, which means you have a small window to charge in, pick up as much as your arms will carry and then charge back out again.
The market itself has been running for some 25 years, which means they’ve had over two decades to perfect the art of the market to a tee.
On your way there, you’ll also undoubtedly stumble across a bunch of roadside fruit stalls, too, so visit those if you truly want your unofficial Queensland citizenship.
Sit back, guzzle down your mango, coconut and sugarcane smoothie (which you make yourself by riding on a bike, talk about sustainable living) and try not to think of all the crushing life admin you have waiting for you at home.
We like to end on a positive note around here.
