Queen Victoria Market is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, covering seven hectares and operating since 1878 on the northern edge of the CBD. Over 600 traders sell everything from fresh produce, meat, and seafood to clothing, crafts, and street food. It is emphatically not a tourist trap — working-class Melburnians have been buying their fruit, vegetables, and deli goods here for generations, and the wholesale sheds at the back retain a genuine market character.
The deli hall is outstanding: a long, covered space lined with stalls selling cheese, smallgoods, pickles, and pastries from Melbourne's various immigrant communities. Tuesday and Thursday are fresh produce days; Saturday and Sunday add clothing and general goods. Wednesday and Sunday evenings in summer bring the Night Market, with food stalls, live music, and a relaxed atmosphere. The market is open year-round except Mondays.