A market built around the maker
The person who made it is usually the one selling it. That is the whole idea of a makers market, and it is why Perth Makers Market feels different from the big weekend markets north of the river. You are buying from someone who can tell you how the piece was made, and you can ask.
It sits in Applecross, a leafy riverside suburb in the City of Melville. Plenty of Perth visitors never cross the river to this side. Reviews are consistently warm but there aren’t many of them, so this is still a quieter find than the city’s best-known markets.
Finding Duncraig Road
The address is 58 Duncraig Rd, Applecross WA 6153. Duncraig Road runs down from Canning Highway toward the Point Heathcote end of the suburb, where the land drops to the Swan River.
Your options for getting there:
- By car: take the Kwinana Freeway or Canning Highway south from the CBD. Depending on traffic, the drive takes roughly 15–20 minutes.
- By train: Canning Bridge Station on the Mandurah line is the closest rail stop. From there, connect by bus along Canning Highway or walk on through the residential streets.
- By rideshare: this is the simplest option if you don’t want to piece together a train and a bus.
Expect a quiet residential approach. Signage for a pop-up market is usually modest, so put the exact street number into your map app.
Check the date before you set out
This is not a market that trades every day. Makers markets run on scheduled dates, and Perth Makers Market doesn’t publish fixed hours here.
Look at the organisers’ most recent social media posts or event listings in the week you plan to visit. Those posts are also the best place to see which stallholders are booked, because the line-up changes from one market to the next. If you’ve come for a particular maker, confirm they’ll be there.
Allow about an hour for a proper browse. Stay longer if you stop to talk, and at this kind of market most people do.
Talking to the stallholders
Conversation is how this market works. You’ll get more out of a visit if you go along with that.
- Ask before you photograph. Designs belong to the makers, and many prefer you ask before taking close-up shots of their work.
- Pay the way the stall prefers. Most Australian stallholders take tap-and-go card payments on a portable reader. Still, carry a little cash in case a small stall’s reader drops out.
- Don’t haggle. At Australian makers markets the price on the tag is the price. Tipping isn’t expected either.
- Ask about commissions. Many makers do custom orders and only sell at markets and online. Take a business card or follow their account if you’d like something made later.
- Bring a tote bag. Handmade, careful sellers sometimes wrap pieces in paper rather than plastic, so your own bag helps.
The best stock tends to sell first, so the start of trading is the time to come if you’re after a one-off piece. Later in the day is calmer for long chats.
Making a morning of Applecross
Don’t drive in and straight back out. The suburb rewards an extra hour.
The Point Heathcote headland sits at the river end of Duncraig Road. Its parkland looks across Melville Water toward the city skyline, and paths run along the foreshore. Bring a coffee down and look back at the CBD towers across the water.
Ardross Street is Applecross’s small village strip, with cafes and lunch spots. Toward Canning Bridge, the Raffles Hotel’s art deco frontage is one of the best-known older buildings on this stretch of the river.
Who will enjoy it
Come if you’re the kind of traveller who would rather take home one piece with a story than a bag of souvenirs from the airport. A handmade item from a Western Australian maker packs better and means more than a printed tea towel.
It also suits anyone staying south of the river, or heading toward Fremantle, who wants a gentler stop than the city-centre crowds. If a full Perth itinerary has worn you out, a small market and a river view is a good reset.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is Perth Makers Market?
It's at 58 Duncraig Rd, Applecross WA 6153, in the City of Melville on the south side of the Swan River. Duncraig Road runs down toward the Point Heathcote end of Applecross.
Is Perth Makers Market open every weekend?
Don't assume it is. It runs on scheduled market dates, so check the organisers' latest social media posts or event listings for the next date and the stallholder line-up before you travel.
How do I get there without a car?
Take the Mandurah line to Canning Bridge Station. From there you can catch a bus along Canning Highway or walk through the residential streets. A rideshare from the CBD is the simplest option.
How long should I spend there?
About an hour covers a relaxed browse with time to chat to makers. Add another hour if you want to walk the Point Heathcote foreshore or have lunch on Ardross Street.
Can I pay by card?
Most stallholders take tap-and-go card payments, but carry a little cash in case a small stall's reader drops out. Prices are as marked, so there's no haggling.
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