ultimate foodie

Queen Victoria market food tours. Photographs by Emma Byrnes.

I’ve twice had the pleasure of taking photographs for Queen Victoria Market’s food tours.
One of the great perks of this particular assignment is actually going on the informative food tours!
I learnt so much about a place that I was already very familiar with from my guided 90 minute wander through the market. The generous traders, insider tips and a history lesson to boot! Plus a glass of Victorian wine, seasonal fruit platters, handmade pastas, specialty cheeses, homemade gelato and a hot jam doughnut! How delicious is that?
Melbourne is very lucky to have the market at the heart of the city - join a tour and glean some of those handy foodie tips.

champions of aussie made

Videographer Chelsea Morley of Tiny Disco capturing David Kiper from Catcher Coats as he steps us through the wonderful 43-year-old history of his Australian-made coat business. Photograph by Emma Byrnes.

Did you know that Queen Victoria Market has the largest concentration of small businesses in Australia? And many of them still make and sell Australian products.  
I was very happy to work as the photographer on the "Champions of Aussie Made" campaign that was launched last week, alongside videographer Chelsea Morley from Tiny Disco. The campaign highlights certified Australian-made products that are sold in the general merchandise sheds at Vic market. Spending a weekend at the market interviewing the owners of these small businesses was so interesting and by the end of two days I felt like we had been invited into a wonderful community of new friends. Many of these traders have spent their lifetime selling wares at their stalls - such dedication turning up year around,  day-in day-out to the outdoor market stall! Often they are second or third generation stall-holders. And to say nothing of the ever increasing pressures of manufacturing their products in Australia.

Bruce Pham holding up a selection from his Bruce Goose range of high-quality Australian-made merino wool socks. His family have been selling socks and hosiery at the market since 1987. Photograph by Emma Byrnes.

I made some fantastic new discoveries - Bruce Goose merino wool socks have kept my feet warm all winter and in style to boot! They even kept my toes super-toasty in the snow! 
My fingerless merino gloves from Danny's Knitwear have also contributed to my winter comfort levels and are very useful for tapping away on my keyboard in our cold studio at the Nicholas Building. Not to mention the stunning line-up of Australian designed and made clothing + accessories at the beautifully curated Pussy Cat Black. Bettina has a very fine eye for quality ethical fashion.

Australian made and designed clothing hanging at Pussy Cat Black. Three cheers for retailers who understand the profound value in supporting local, ethical and independent makers. Photograph by Emma Byrnes.

I really take my hat off to these businesses dedication and resistance to the temptations of producing off-shore.  As local manufacturing shrinks and the skills-base dwindles it is harder and harder to produce in Australia.  As a society we need to think very deeply about whether we are prepared to forego our local industries. There is a direct correlation between consumer purchasing behaviour and employment, local economic development and prosperity. As someone who has run two retail businesses in Australia I can definitely say that despite the challenges the rewards are great.  When you buy Australian-made and grown products, you can be sure you are keeping your family members and friends employed. Not to mention being part of a vibrant and positive-thinking community of like-minded folk!

Cactusland's spiky display at the Queen Victoria Market - just opposite the Jam Donut Van. All plants grown in Melbourne. Photographs by Emma Byrnes.

Andrew Thompson (left) of Cactusland and Ariel Lewin of Danny's Knitwear.  Photograph by Emma Byrnes. 

Chelsea has produced a series of short videos that will be released weekly over the next couple of months - they are definitely worth viewing. Here is the story of David Kiper from Catcher Coats to kick it off.

I look forward to some long-standing relationships ahead with some of the traders I met through this project. Many thanks to you all for participating.

Em x

made in japan

Photographs by Emma Byrnes.

I have photographed various stallholders for Queen Victoria Market and really enjoyed my time spent at Made In Japan.

Made in Japan (MIJ) has been importing high quality tableware and homewares from Japan for over 25 years. The tableware they import is seldom seen outside Japan - often only in restaurants and homes in the areas surrounding the makersʼ kilns. MIJ's Queen Victoria Market stall can be found on String Bean Alley - an area of the market that houses artisans and makers in recycled shipping containers. A National Trust classification prevents the Market from building permanent structures, so the shipping containers are a clever way of opening up this otherwise neglected part of the Market.  
Maddy (pictured above) is the front-woman for the MIJ Queen Victoria Market stall. She is very passionate about all things Japanese - even sporting a Studio Ghibli's Totoro tattoo. So good!

vic market variety

Footy paraphernalia market trader, Graeme. Photograph by Emma Byrnes.

This past year I have been enjoying working for the Queen Victoria Market as a photographer. They often employ me to document events or capture stallholders for various media needs - brochures, posters, social media and reports.

We are very lucky in Melbourne to have such a wonderful meeting place such as the Queen Victoria Market. It is truly a melting pot of different cultures and socio-economic groups - a vibrant venue where people can come together on equal footing. Meeting the people behind the stalls is the most rewarding part of working there - they are what make up the visual story of this cultural Melbourne icon. And what comes across when photographing them is their openness and sense of belonging. Often they have spent an entire lifetime selling their wares at the market, they may have inherited their business from their family or they may be just starting out in the hope of establishing themselves as permanent fixtures at this dynamic site. They all have stories to tell and more often than not are very happy to share them with you.

Footy paraphernalia market trader, Graeme (pictured above) started his stall 38 years ago as the first ever business in Victoria to sell AFL merchandise outside of the immediate vicinity of the grounds. With this deep-rooted history, it is not surprising that this little stall attracts many regulars who come back every year. He is as diplomatic as possible when it comes to showing bias towards a footy club, swathing himself in a hodgepodge of team strips. A very refreshing approach to footy fan-dom.

Em x