Farmers market set for Docklands return in May

A new-look Docklands farmers market is understood to be set for a return on May 17, with plans under way for a waterfront event that will place a strong focus on seafood as part of a broader push to activate the precinct.

The event, expected to be branded the Docklands Waterfront Farmers Market, is being organised by the City of Melbourne in partnership with the Docklands Chamber of Commerce.

It is set to take over part of Harbour Esplanade and feature a mix of seafood and fresh food stalls, alongside kids’ activities and live entertainment.

Unlike the market’s earlier iterations, which were more traditional in format, the May event is understood to be conceived more as a festival-style activation aimed at drawing both locals and visitors to the waterfront.

The move comes after the Docklands Farmers Market paused late last year following struggles to build foot traffic at its Marvel Stadium site. Organisers had previously flagged a desire to relocate the market closer to the water after finding the stadium location too quiet.

The latest effort is also understood to carry broader strategic significance.

Docklands News understands the event is being used as something of a test-bed for Lord Mayor Nick Reece’s 2024 election pledge to establish a seafood precinct in Docklands, an idea pitched as a way to transform the waterfront into a destination for fresh seafood dining and food tourism.

That proposal, unveiled during the 2024 council election campaign, envisioned a new waterfront precinct featuring seafood stalls, restaurants, open-air dining and public space inspired by international seafood destinations such as Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market and San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

While the proposed May 17 market is more modest in scale, its seafood focus is likely to be watched closely as an early sign of how that broader vision might begin to take shape.

For Docklands, the return of a market to Harbour Esplanade would also mark another attempt to find the right formula for regular activation in a precinct that has long struggled to build consistent street-level vibrancy despite its prime waterfront setting. •