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Discover a Treasure, Discover Camberwell

What can I sell and how do I book a stall at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market?

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Are you looking to sell pre-loved or handcrafted goods at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market? Here’s what you need to know.

Perhaps you are downsizing, maybe you have estate furniture you need gone, or your kids have long grown up and you’ve found yourself with a garage full of stuff you no longer need.

There’s a story behind every stall at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market, but no matter what they are selling, every vendor has two things is common: they have items they want gone and a desire to make a bit of cash.

The Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market is an iconic Melbourne experience, celebrated in art and literature, and a Camberwell weekend ritual for generations.

The generosity of market goers, via their gold coin donations on entry, has seen the market raise more than $16 million for different charities and causes to date.

And you can be a part of this story as a market vendor.

You don’t need to be a professional trader – if you’ve got stuff to sell, you too can be a Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market stallholder.

Here’s how:

How do I book a stall?

The first step is to book a stall at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market by downloading the app or via the website.

Stalls cost $66 and are paid for online via credit card when you book.

Are tables and equipment available for hire?

The Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market offers a range of items to help you set up and run your stall. They can be hired on the morning of your booking and a $20 security bond is required.

The market hires out the following:

  • Trestle table (1.8m): $9
  • Trestle table (2.4m): $10
  • Clothes rack and two sandbags: $15
  • Sandbags: $3 each

How far in advance must I book?

The earlier you book the better the chance of securing the date you want. Stalls normally sell out 10 weeks in advance.

What can I sell?

Make sure the items you’re selling are allowed. Stallholders are permitted to sell a range of second-hand goods or handcrafted items.

Customers love hearing the stories behind the items they purchase, so if those items are made by you, all the better!

You are not permitted to sell food, drinks or make-up products. New items for resale, and samples or seconds are also not allowed. The sale of animals or animal products is also prohibited.

What if I miss out on the Sunday I want?

If the Sunday morning you really want is fully booked, you can take a chance at securing a re-let stall.

Be at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market from 5.30am, when management arrives, and at 7am bookings that haven’t shown up will be re-let to people in the order of when they arrived.

There are often 15-20 stalls per week to re-let, but there are also many people waiting to snap them up and there’s no guarantee you will secure one. It’s best to plan ahead and book early.

You can view further information about booking a stall at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market here. 

This article also appears on the Camberwell Shopping website.

Discover a Cause, Discover Camberwell

How your gold coin donation to the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market supports the community

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Whether you’re searching for a pre-loved or hand-crafted gem, the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market is synonymous for uncovering unique items but many of its devotees may not know how far their donations go to help communities.

The sound of gold coins as they rattle in the Rotary volunteer’s tins sets the scene for the Melbourne tradition of looking for treasure in the converted carpark on Sundays.

The generosity of market fans continues to make a difference to thousands of families and people both locally and internationally.

Small donation, large impact

A gold coin donation when you enter the market is a small ask, but when you consider that each year the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market hosts more than 250,000 locals, tourists, thrift shoppers, collectors and bargain hunters, it adds up.

Since 1976, the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market has raised more than $16 million for many different causes.

Charitable reach

The local community benefits from the generosity of patrons, through the Boroondara Community Strengthening Grants program, which supports 80 – 90 local community service projects annually.

Other causes that receive support include the Box Hill Miniature Railway, Camcare, Fareshare, Autism Centre, Cerebral Palsy Education Project, community housing and Violence Free Families.

Your gold coin donation has a far greater reach with Rotary International projects, including those that support Timor Leste, New Zealand Earthquake rebuilding, Nepal earthquake relief, a dental health project in Vietnam, artificial limbs for kids in the Congo, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Helping those in need

Children and young people are often the focus of the gold coin donations, like the youth development grants of the Rotary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Scholarships and Swinburne University of Technology scholarships for asylum seekers and refugees.

Secondary school public speaking competitions and national youth science forums also receive funding.

The program has provided medical research and equipment grants to help organisations such as Australian Rotary Health, Box Hill Hospital and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

A local’s gold coin

In her book, Sunday Service: The Balwyn Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market, author Leah Annetta writes about the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market’s irresistible lure.

It’s a place full of hidden treasures, whose value might be sentimental or actual, and where it is rumoured Kylie Minogue picked up her infamous gold hot pants.

But it’s another kind of gold that Annetta holds dear to her heart.

“Most of us drop our gold coin into the yellow cup… and plough headlong into the market on the trail of whatever takes our fancy.

“Few realise the ambitious charitable causes that these coins have funded over the past three decades”.

This article also appears on the Camberwell Shopping website.

Discover a Cause, Discover a Treasure, Discover Camberwell

A guide to the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market

The buzz of a busy market creates a shopping experience like no other – a mix of curious browsing among the unfamiliar and the thrilling anticipation of finding something wonderful.

And that potent combination is enjoyed by about 7000 people every week at the iconic Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market.

Founded in 1976 by Balwyn Rotary to fund various charitable projects, the market now offers about 370 delightful stalls and is a magnet for collectors, vintage connoisseurs and bargain hunters.

Discover a treasure

Whatever you love you are likely to find it at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market.

Comb through pre-loved clothes, second-hand knickknacks and records, antique toys, jewellery, beautiful old trinkets and, of course, craft stalls full of original creations. 

Keen lovers of vintage fashion come from across Melbourne to snap up that must-have piece, and rumour has it that TV and film designers trawl the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market for authentic items of days gone by. 

If collectibles are your thing, make the stroll through the hundreds of stalls a voyage of discovery.

Among the mix of stall holders are many collectors who sell glorious gems waiting to be found by keen shoppers. 

And when all that browsing and spending makes you hungry, just follow the irresistible aroma to the hot jam donuts van. The warm, sweet treat has become synonymous with the market. 

Since you are likely to spend quite a few hours at the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market, it’s worth noting that there are public toilets on Station St, below the multi-level car park, and inside The Well shopping centre, accessible via Burke Rd.

Discover a cause

Gain entry to all that treasure at Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market with the simple toss of a gold coin.

But as you do, remember that what might be a small dollar amount to you adds up through the course of the day, and the year.

Over the years, those gold coin donations have been used to great effect in communities both locally in Australia and abroad.

More than $14 million has been raised since 1976 to support charities like the Eastern Emergency Relief, Box Hill Hospital, Violence Free Families, New Zealand Earthquake Rebuilding and so much more.

Discover Camberwell

Your trip to Camberwell doesn’t have to be limited to the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market. Why not make a day of it and explore the wider shopping precinct while you’re visiting?

If you aren’t a member of the ‘torch brigade’, which includes people who scan the stalls before first light, you could go grab breakfast or a coffee at a Camberwell cafe first. 

Or, begin your day by leisurely trawling the stalls and then enjoying lunch in one of the many wonderful restaurants or boutique eateries in the Camberwell precinct.

Those looking to enjoy a post-market wind down can head to a chic bar to enjoy an afternoon beer, wine or cocktail. Alternatively, you may want to sit back and enjoy a film at the Rivoli – Camberwell’s renowned art deco cinema.

To continue your Sunday shopping outing, there are plenty of great finds just beyond the Rotary Camberwell Sunday Market.

The Camberwell shopping precinct is a dream, offering antiques, jewellery, hair and beauty salons and stylish fashion boutiques – all of which will perfectly complement your market finds.

This article also appears on the Camberwell Shopping website.