The best local farmers markets and what to buy in season

Queues formed early at Wollongong Harbour Market on Marine Drive last Saturday, where vendors sold out of cauliflower heads by 10am and reported steady demand for oranges and kale bunches.

Winter months bring shorter days and cooler temperatures across the Illawarra, prompting residents to seek nutrient-dense local produce that supports immune health without long supply chains from interstate farms.

The Sunday market at the Wollongong Showground on Crown Street draws growers from the escarpment foothills, while the Thursday stall lineup near Nan Tien Temple on Berkeley Road offers direct sales from coastal plain farms. Both sites operate year-round with strict vendor rules that limit resold goods.

Markets drawing steady crowds

Shoppers at the Crown Street site can find spinach from farms near Mount Kembla and lemons picked that week from orchards outside Dapto. The Berkeley location features broccoli grown in the sheltered valleys behind the temple grounds, alongside root vegetables trucked in from Albion Park.

A 2025 Illawarra Food Network survey recorded an 18 percent rise in market visits during the cooler months compared with the same period in 2024, with average spend per customer reaching $28 on produce alone.

Seasonal items worth buying now

Cauliflower at $4 a head and navel oranges at $3.50 a kilogram remain strong value through July, while kale bunches sell for $2.50 and hold well in cooler home kitchens. These items deliver high vitamin C and fibre content that aligns with winter needs.

Buyers should arrive before 9am on market days to secure the freshest stock, then store citrus in the crisper drawer and use leafy greens within four days. The Wollongong City Council website lists exact stall maps and weather-related changes for both sites.