12/07/2025
This is sad news 89 7FM Perth City of Joondalup - Government
It’s with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce Markets by the Sea will not be going ahead for another season.
After nearly a decade of bringing this community market to life, supporting hundreds of local makers, small businesses, musicians, food trucks, families, and creatives; we’ve been left with no choice. We wanted to speak our truth about the stress and chaos associated with running these events.
Despite months of communication, repeated pleas for support, and our best efforts to collaborate with the City of Joondalup - Government, we’ve been met with unanswered emails, conflicting advice, rigid policies, unrealistic last-minute demands, and a lack of genuine support for grassroots small business initiatives like ours.
We were hoping that organising and delivering a free community event that fosters local businesses, community spirit, and a positive, social, outdoor atmosphere; all values the City of Joondalup publicly claims to support would mean they would be willing to work with us collaboratively.
But we were wrong. At every turn, the City put up roadblocks and speed humps, imposed costly, ever-changing requirements, and made us feel as though we were bringing something to the community that was misaligned with their values which is truly baffling.
This isn’t the first time we’ve faced this.
If you’ve followed Markets by the Sea from the beginning, you’ll remember we launched in 2018 at Whitfords Nodes. As the first high-quality market of its kind in the area, we quickly gained success and community support. But the ever-increasing onerous requirements from the City eventually forced us out of that location. We found a new home at North Shore Community Hub in Kallaroo, hoping that being on private property would give us the space we needed to run these markets to their full potential. But again we were so wrong. It has happened again, a wholesome community event left to suffer.
What makes this even more disheartening is the timing. Just one week before the Christmas and New Year shut down, we were told we could not proceed with the rest of the 2024/25 season. After strong advocacy particularly for our stallholders who had already invested in stock and preparation the City eventually allowed us to continue with changes.
Since then, the City has asked us to:
- Hire certified traffic controllers,
- Change the speed limit of surrounding roads,
- Conduct hourly safety checks (only by qualified traffic controllers), and
- Provide a shuttle bus transporting market-goers
- Find alternative off-site parking.
These demands are simply not financially viable or practical for a free, non-ticketed, community-based event. We've received quotes in the thousands of dollars and that’s just for traffic management alone. This is not sustainable, especially as we remain committed to keeping stall-holder fees low to support emerging and small businesses.
This decision affects more than just us. It impacts over 350 small businesses per season, as well as musicians, food vendors, Grounded Cafe at Northshore, the Northshore Community Hub, local charities, families, and community groups who rely on these markets for connection, visibility, and income.
We’ve done our part by following all council advice provided, installed signage and traffic cones, promoting safe parking and event info online, trialled entry/exit adjustments, engaged local councillors to advocate our voice (Cr Phillip Vinciullo - City of Joondalup Caitlin Collins MLA,), and provided constant transparent communication with the council. Yet we’re being held to standards not applied to other similar events in the area, and the goalposts keep shifting. Not even the busiest and most well-known markets in Perth are held to the same expectations??
Markets by the Sea has always been built for the community, a space to uplift small businesses and create something special by the coast. To now be ending the season early, after years of successful, safe, and well-loved events, is absolutely devastating.
💔 To all our stallholders, supporters, entertainers, and visitors - thank you. You’ve made these markets magical, and we are forever grateful. We would not have made it this far without you but our heart is broken.
If you’re disappointed too, we encourage you to share your experiences and help advocate for fairer treatment of small businesses and community events in our City. Please email [email protected].
If you or your business is in a position to sponsor the traffic management or road changes, we’d love to hear from you, please reach out.
If you have a venue that can host us, with a council that would like us, feel free to also send us a message.
With love and thanks,
Brooke
Founder – Markets by the Sea
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