Shopping for handmade crafts or baby products at Shellharbour twilight markets could soon be a reality.
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Shellharbour Council staff have investigated options, detailed in a report, for markets at Shellharbour Civic Centre in 2019.
Staff have suggested youth, handmade, ‘meet the maker’ and baby and children’s markets would be the best options if private organisers wanted to establish markets.
Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said the council was open to seeing markets at the centre.
“The civic centre sits very close to Stocklands so it may not be an ideal situation to draw people away from the main shopping area,” she said.
“However, councillors would consider any requests by private operators to conduct markets at the Civic Centre.”
The first market suggested would be designed by young people, with goods designed and created by young people in Shellharbour.
The Youth Market would be complimented by workshops for young people on ‘how to market’ their goods and sell their product.
The council report suggests the market could be held in the day and at twilight at the Civic square, foyer and auditorium in April 2019.
A Handmade Market would target seniors, volunteer groups and senior groups to sell old fashioned goods. The market could be held in July 2019 during the day.
A ‘Meet the Maker’ market would sell arts and crafts during the Sculptures at Killalea. It would give shoppers a chance to meet creatives and makers at the community foyer and auditorium during the day and twilight in September.
Lastly, a Baby and Children’s Market would sell pre-loved maternity and baby products as part of Children’s Week and the Garage Sale Trail. It would be held in the auditorium at twilight in October 2019.
The report states the civic centre “provides a highly visible, accessible location and could offer unique speciality indoor markets”.
“Taking into consideration nearby retail and dining offerings and existing markets in the Shellharbour Local Government Area and surrounding areas, one-off annual speciality markets providing something different to the community would be the council’s best option as this type of market would not be in competition with other local markets,” the report said.
Staff believe the markets would not compete with local businesses, would utilise the Civic Centre as well as reduce waste by selling pre-loved items and would bring together like-minded people.
However, all the market options would require additional staffing costs.
Around the region, The Farm’s Market Killalea, Kiama Seaside Market, Kiama Markers and Growers Market, Puckey’s Night Market and Wollongong Twilight market are held once a month.
The Kiama Farmers Market, Eat Street Market, Warrawong Market, Dapto Markets, Friday Forage Markets are held weekly.
The Christmas Twilight Edition of the Farm’s Market, Sculptures Twilight Market, Made in Kiama – Handmade Market, Shellharbour Central Christmas Market and Wollongong Makers Market are held on a seasonal basis.
The report is expected to be discussed and noted by councillors at the Shellharbour Council meeting on Tuesday.
