The best local farmers markets and what to buy in season

Attendance at Geelong markets selling winter produce jumped 22 percent in the first week of July 2026 compared with the same period last year.

Cold weather drives demand for local root vegetables and citrus that store well and supply steady vitamins without relying on long supply chains. Families along the Barwon River walking trail and near the Geelong Waterfront have reported tighter grocery budgets this season, pushing more residents toward direct farm sales rather than supermarket aisles.

The Geelong Showgrounds market on Sunday mornings draws growers from the Bellarine Peninsula who set up stalls with broccoli at $4 a head and navel oranges at $3 a kilogram. A second option operates on Thursday afternoons along Pakington Street in Geelong West, where stalls from farms near the Barwon River offer beetroot bunches and kale for $2.50 each. Both sites sit within a short walk of Barwon Health community centres that promote seasonal eating through free recipe cards handed out at the entrances.

City of Greater Geelong data released in May 2026 showed that 68 percent of residents who bought produce at these markets reduced their weekly food spend by an average of $18. The same report noted that local citrus sales rose sharply after the June harvest, with oranges and lemons moving faster than imported fruit priced 40 percent higher.

Seasonal items worth buying now

July brings firm broccoli, cauliflower and silverbeet from nearby paddocks, along with blood oranges that peak this month. Shoppers at the Showgrounds stalls also find potatoes and pumpkins that keep for weeks in cool kitchens. Prices stay stable through the middle of the month before school holidays increase foot traffic.

Arrive before 9am on market days to secure the best bunches, then carry purchases along the Eastern Beach rock pool path for a short walk that keeps produce cool. Check the City of Greater Geelong website each Monday for any weather-related changes to stall times.