89. Eumundi, Noosa Hinterland. The Artisan capital of Queensland.
Well you can’t say we don’t take you to some interesting places.
This week’s episode is another in our Aussie Summer series here on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia.
We are heading about 20 minutes inland from the beach to one of the most visited places in the area. It is the picturesque village of Eumundi.
Eumundi is famous in Australia and with international visitors as it has the biggest Artisan market in the country and it is just a gorgeous little village. The market’s slogan is Make it, bake it, sew it or grow it – so there is no cheap overseas products here.
We take you down the shady tree-lined terraced avenues filled with every imaginable stall you can think of, including many delicious food vendors.
We also tell you about the very unique annual event that happens in Eumundi – it is the body art festival, which is Australia’s premier body art event and is a celebration of the passionate body painting industry.
Listen as we do a quick impromptu interview with a nice guy who makes the best pineapple juice I have ever tasted.
Stay listening to the end when we leave Eumundi and drive 9km to a new lunch and dinner venue that is quickly becoming the hottest place on the Sunshine Coast. It is called The Doonan and we were left speechless by the whole place.
Please enjoy episode 89
SHOW NOTES AND PICTURES BELOW
Eumundi is gorgeous little village in the Noosa hinterland on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland Australia. It is only 118 km from Brisbane and only 20kms from the coast.
The area was originally heavily forested and part of the land was occupied by the Kabi Kabi people.
Eumundi is famous in Australia and for international visitors for having the biggest artisan market in the country.
It started in on 24th March, 1979 in the CWA hall and had three stalls. Eight people visited that day and a total of $30 in sales were made.
Now there are 1.6 million visitors annually and well over 600 stalls.
The market’s slogan is make it, bake it, sew it or grow it. There are so many different stalls to look at and as the slogan suggests, the variety, quality and uniqueness of the products on offer is simply incredible. You can check out the fabulous Eumundi market’s website here: Eumundi Market Information
The markets are open every Wednesday from 8am to 2pm and every Saturday from 7am to 2pm.
The stalls are all along shady terraced avenues. It is a real pleasure to stroll around the market grounds as they are so picturesque. There are many buskers as well as background music and there are always lots of people which give the whole market a vibrant atmosphere.
Of course, what would a market be without food vendors, and the Eumundi markets is no exception. I lost count of the amount of different food options on offer. There are literally food stalls from all over the world and also lots of local products, including fruit and veggies, cheeses and the best pineapple juice in the world.
The main street, Memorial Drive, runs along the markets and you can access it easily through many of the stalls. There is a lot of street art and more artisan shops that line the shady street. A couple of the shops like The Real McCaul’s Leather Products, have been there for many years. The Eumundi museum is also in an old church building in the main street.
There are two hotels and breweries in the main street. Both hotels were built around 1911. Both hotels have undergone massive renovations and have fabulous areas to eat, kids playgrounds and many nice seating areas to enjoy the locally brewed beer.
The Imperial hotel had a massive injection of funds in 1986 and was developed into a brewery complex and became known as the Eumundi Brewery.
The Doonan is a hotel lunch and dinner venue that is set on two hectares just 9km from Eumundi and a 10 minute drive from the popular Noosa Heads. It was opened in March 2023 after many long months of developing and renovating an old German restaurant. It is a massively popular venue and you definitely need to book. You can check out the website with the menus here: The Doonan Website.
The Doonan has indoor and outdoor dining areas, beer gardens, a pizzeria, ice creamery, cellar door and multiple areas where functions are held. It also has a massive kids playground with goals posts, climbing wall, cubby houses and trampolines. It is a perfect spot for mum and dad to enjoy a meal and drink while the kids play.
We were really impressed with the Doonan, which has been described like more of a garden shop or nursery than a hotel. The decor is beautiful and it is definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.
One of the most unique and interesting annual events that takes place in Eumundi is called The Australian Body Art Festival. It is a free event that happens each year and this year you can watch the art unfold in front of your eyes. The competitions are for full body art, wearable art and surf board art. You can see the website with previous year’s winners here. The Australian Body Art Festival.
If you want to hear more about our time visiting Eumundi or The Doonan then you can click one of the players above.
If you want to see what other areas we have visited in our Aussie Summer Series, then click the button below.