Monthly market off and racing

By Kath Gannaway
THE relocation of Craft Markets Australia’s monthly market to Healesville has been hailed as an outstanding success.
Close to 300 stallholders catered for a huge crowd at the Healesville Racecourse on Sunday 2 August.
The market had previously operated at Yarra Glen Racing Centre for 13 years.
Healesville Amateur Racing Club vice-president Anthony Schache said it was an exciting start to the new collaboration between the club and Craft Markets.
“The feedback from the traders was that business was a bit above average with a lot of new business,” he said.
“From the club’s point of view it’s just fabulous to have a venture which is worth millions of dollars to the community remain in the valley.”
The founders of Craft Markets Australia, Kevin and Carole Stapleton and Cathy and David Thompson said the response to the new location had been wonderful.
The business started in 1975 at Red Hill with 100 stalls paying just 50 cents each.
Since then it has expanded to six markets and remains a family-run business operated by the Stapleton family.
Ms Stapleton said as young women with young families she and Ms Thompson had no idea it would grow to be such a thriving venture.
“We thought there are lots of artists in the area and wouldn’t it be good if people could go and swap eggs for tomatoes, show their pottery and other handcrafted items.
“Because it was the first of its kind, it grew slowly and it grew beautifully,” Ms Stapleton said.
She said the market had worked with community groups who assist with parking.
“Lilydale Scouts moved with us to Healesville and were very pleased with the day,” she said.
Mr Schache said the racing club had negotiated a contract with Craft Markets which would benefit Healesville community groups.
“We will distribute money back into the community with a program aimed at helping those groups who don’t fit into the usual grant criteria,” he said.
To mark the official opening of the Healesville Racecourse Harvest and Craft Market the race club handed over its first $500 grant to St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School.
The grant will pay for bus transport for students to attend tree-planting activities as part of the bushfire regeneration.
Accepting the cheque St Brigid’s principal Brett Collison said the school was very grateful for the support of the race club and Craft Markets Australia.
The next market is on 6 September.