Central Business District in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Oceania

Queen Victoria Market - Blue Plaque

— Queen Victoria Market —

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 16, 2026

1. Queen Victoria Market Marker

Inscription. The Market began with the construction of the Meat Market in 1868. In 1877 the City Council acquired part of the old Melbourne General Cemetery and built the first produce sheds. In 1884, William Salway designed a new front for the Meat Market and the Elizabeth Street shops. Extended between 1887 and 1936, it is the last of the four markets in central Melbourne.

Erected by City of Melbourne and State Bank Victoria.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1868.

Location. 37° 48.411′ S, 144° 57.573′ E. Marker is in Melbourne, Victoria. It is in the Central Business District. It is on Elizabeth Street 0.1 kilometers north of Therry Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 513 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Oceania,

in Australasia,

in the Pacific Ocean,

in South Pacific,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a

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British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Engaging the Senses (within shouting distance of this marker); Victoria Meat Market (within shouting distance of this marker); Melbourne's Marvellous Meat Hall (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); Market Opening - Floor Plaque (about 210 meters away); The Market Gates (about 210 meters away); Saving the Market (about 210 meters away); Bringing home the Shopping (about 210 meters away); Market Football (about 210 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Melbourne.

Also see . . . Queen Victoria Market. City of Melbourne

Queen Victoria Market is much more than a market place. The site has been and continues to be of significance to many different people for many reasons. It is one of the great nineteenth century markets in Victoria and the only one surviving from a group of important central markets built in Melbourne during that era.

From its beginnings as Melbourne’s chief wholesale market, through to its successful reinvention as a retail market in the 1970s, Queen Victoria
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 16, 2026

2. Queen Victoria Market Marker at the old laneway entrance
Market has played an important role in the economic and social history of the city.

It is the largest, most concentrated, continually trading place reserved for small independently operated businesses in Australia.

It is a critical element in the story of early Melbourne’s development and to this day continues to play a central role in the city’s cultural, business and social life.

The Queen Victoria Market was formally accepted for inclusion onto the Victorian Heritage Register in 1989 and the National Heritage List in 2018.

Not only has the market served the people of Melbourne continuously since at least 1878, it was previously the site of Melbourne’s first official cemetery, from 1837 and 1854.

The market site is also an important Aboriginal cultural place. It is part of the land of the Kulin Nations and includes an Aboriginal burial area of the former cemetery, which is specifically recognised under the Aboriginal Heritage Act as an Aboriginal historic place.

(Submitted on August 22, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 22, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.