James Rose
Posted 5/28/2012 by
Attractions
The heavens have opened over Eumundi, but the famous markets aren't closing down. There's tarps aplenty, a few puddles but lots of smiles and soon the grey breaks and the sun charges through, throwing spotlights down through the gaps. Before long we're looking for the giant old fig trees for shade. Those big old figs were planted in honour of WWI vets, so they've seen plenty. So have Pete, Damo, Lorenzo, Arnold, Clare, Cheyenne, Paul and all the other owners of the lovely faces at the Original Eumundi Markets on the Sunshine Coast. We all shuffle by like a million bodies before and a million more to come, and there's a smile for every one of us, if we choose to look.
The Original Eumundi Markets pulse with a vast array of goods and food. You’ll find original artworks, sculptures, furniture, handmade toys, homewares, and skincare, as well as cutting edge fashion and jewellery by local designers, all guided by the ethos of “we make it, bake it, grow it, sew it”. There's heaps of places to sit and just watch the passing parade. You'll see them all here. Under the canopy of the figs, with the blue sky breaking through, there's no better place to be. Get a massage, get a coffee, get settled: you'll stay a while. Not surprisingly, sustainability is a big deal here, in the product range, but also in how the markets are run. There's attention to detail on energy consumption, waste and so on. It's also a noted community draw, with local kids (including friends of my daughter) turning up cold to start playing, or singing, or dancing, or whatever; instrument case opened and coins glittering in the sun.
Already the morning is gone, hours spent here just wandering, chatting, and buying. Sure, it's a tourist haven, but the locals love it too. That's always a good sign.