THE TOWN SQUARE MARKET

As the name suggests, the Margaret River Town Square Market is situated in the centre of this bustling tourist town and I was there on the Sunday of a long weekend. As Monday was a public holiday many Perth and Fremantle visitors were staying in the region. I arrived at the market while most of the tourists were still breakfasting, which gave me an opportunity to converse with the proprietors of these stalls before they had to deal with the rush of customers.

Margaret River Town Square

There was only one person who refused to allow me to photograph her stand. She seemed to think that I wanted to copy her designs, although I explained my purpose. Although her dolls were attractive works of art and each one was an original, her art form was not unique. Here on the Granite Belt at our Market in the Mountains one of the exhibitors not only sells her creations, but is a willing teacher of this art.

Stanthorpe Powertex Fabric Sculpture

When I told Pat Benkendorff about the lady at Margaret River refusing to allow me to photograph her art, she asked, “Did she have any dolls mounted as a picture?

“No.”

Pat then showed me how she not only produces doll statues, but mounts them for wall display. Pat and Tom Benkendorff have the Artyfacs Studio and offer Powertex Sculpture Workshops  & Products at 12 Aspinal Street, Warwick Q 4370. Pat may be contacted by phone 07-4667 1376 or on email at tbenkend@bigpond.net.au

Wall hanging

My visit to this market was made especially pleasurable when I met Mary Lee who was selling her daughter’s soaps. www.margaretriversoapfactory.com

Mary was delighted to meet me when I told her of my interests in markets and how the various markets I have attended differed from each other.

She believed that it was inappropriate for vendors to import cheap products like clothing, jewelery and toys from Asia to flog them at local markets. When I told her that the Stanthorpe Market in the Mountains had a policy that all vendors must Make it * Bake it * Sew it * Grow it, she took me off to meet other stall owners at this market saying, “Listen to what Fay has to say.”

Her introduction to these other vendors meant that I was treated like a familiar friend.

Mary Lee with soap

One idea that Mary’s daughter, Tracy Searle has incorporated on her stand of soaps was gift bags of her natural products.

Tracy may be contacted by email on sales@margaretriversoapfactory.com

www.margaretriversoapfactory.com

Mary had an eye catching selection of crocheted slippers beside the stand of soaps. Such a display will often catch the attention of passersby. Once they have stopped, it is then easier to draw their attention to other products on the stall. No little child would not like to have these warm little bunnies on their feet.

Mary's handmade slippers.

Mary introduced me to Daphne Hart who with her husband was selling handmade pottery, mostly in shades of blue. Although I already have an egg separator, I bought another one to give away as a Christmas gift.

Egg separators

My little grandchildren have always enjoyed watching me break an egg into these faces. Then they watch me tip it sideways so the face spits out the egg white through the mouth slit, leaving the egg yolk behind. Clever and useful for the inexperienced cook.

Summer dresses

I chose not to photograph the stalls selling imported Asian made clothes, but concentrated my efforts on showing the locally home made items, which always look so much fresher.

As a tourist to the region I had been busily photographing the land and seascapes, but for those who haven’t the skills to produce their own photographs I would recommend the work of Maurie Roche. He had a wonderful assortment of mounted photographs of various sizes. It was also possible to buy these as large card, which are such a good idea for travelers as they are light weight and may be laid flat in a suitcase to be framed at a later date. maurieroche@westnet.com.au

maurieroche@westnet.com.au

Fresh produce was well represented. These bright yellow daffodils caught my attention. This nursery stall was selling nothing other than these miniature daffodils which would were perfect as an alternative to placing cut flowers  in a vase on a table. They would bring sunshine into any room.

Petticoat daffodils

The sign Chucks Ducks drew my attention to the white shelled eggs for sale on this stand.

I also noticed the use of brown paper bags, once commonly used in Australia by all grocery stores. They were displaced by cheap plastic bags.

The man at this stall told me that he had his own stall at this market for several years but when he decided to retire, he offered his assistance to this young family.

Fruit and vegetables.

Behind this stall they had mounted the details of their business Ironstone Valley Orchards.

Information

It is my hope that you have enjoyed this series of posts about the markets of the Granite Belt of southern Queensland and the Margaret River region of Western Australia. Although these districts are in different states and on opposite sides of our country they have do have three things in common. They are both weekend tourism destinations in regions famous for wildflowers, wilderness and wine.

Wildflowers, wilderness and wine

When I told Mary Lee that I had written a book called Wildflowers, wilderness and wine about what it is like to live in a wine tourism region she immediately offered me cash to purchase my book, which I accepted. On my return home I posted the book to Mary. I’m sure that not only will Mary enjoy the book, she will share it with others. You can purchase a copy on http://www.australia-book.com.au

You can read for free, post by post, my unpublished book called The Forgotten Ones. Again writing in the travel genre this book tells the story of Eberhard’s youth in Germany 1926-1950 as he related it to me when we were visiting Germany in 1990. http://fayhelwigauthor.com