Bric A Brac With Atmosphere

Set up in the grounds of Rozelle Public School, itself a nice sandstone building opened in 1877, Rozelle Markets is a community flea market offering a wide variety of bric-a-brac and small antiques. Additionally there is a small amount of new produce and, thankfully, a distinct absence of trashy cheap imports. All up there would be up to 100 stalls on a typical market day – a giant garage sale, if you will.

Live music and the presence of a small number of food stalls create a very pleasant atmosphere. Dogs (on a leash) are welcome. While I didn’t buy anything I spent a very pleasant hour here just poking around.

Amazingly, when I visited the market website to verify opening hours for this review I found out that the 24th January 2016, the day I visited, was in fact the last day of the market’s operation at the Rozelle Public School site, under the then current operator who established the markets and managed them for 24 years.

Apparently the local council, in the guise of the school, was required to put the operation of the market out to open tender. The lady who operated the markets from day 1, for 24 years, lost out to a much more ‘commercial’ outfit. The new operator won the tender but the majority of the stallholders decided they would not set up stalls under that business and as a result the future of the market became uncertain.

A nice one for officialdom – presumably no one at the school sought the views of the all important stallholders. It’s a good job the new operator prides itself on its ability to create markets!

After talk of what was then being referred to as the ‘Official’ market, that is the original one, reopening at the different location, possibly Rozelle Primary School things have settled down and the market remains at Rozelle Public School, albeit with new owners.

Opening hours

Saturday and Sundays – 9am -4pm

Address: 663 Darling Street, Rozelle
Directions: Grounds of Rozelle Public School
Phone: (02) 9315 7011
Website: http://rozellecollectorsmarket.com.au/

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This is my last Sydney – INNER WEST review.
For other Sydney reviews click HERE.

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