Crown Casino To Queen Vic Market
RISING food prices and the pressure to go green haven't rattled Jennifer Hibbs. Far from it.
- Queen Victoria Market is more than just Melbourne’s shopping mecca - it’s an historic landmark, a tourist attraction and an shopping institution for Melburnian's. This vast and vibrant centre of trade and commerce was officially opened on 20 March 1878 and has served consumers needs for more than 120 years. The Vic Market as it.
- Quest on William is located within the Melbourne CBD, minutes from Crown Casino, Etihad Stadium, Southbank, Queen Victoria Market and The Arts Precinct.
'We're perfectly positioned for these challenging times,' the chief executive of the Queen Victoria Market says.
'The supermarkets can't compete with our fresh food produce. The quality and range are fantastic, and so are the prices.
'We're also benefiting from a range of sustainability measures. We're serious about our environmental responsibilities.'
In late March, Ms Hibbs took over the reins at the 130-year-old city icon when her predecessor, Jim Monaghan, retired.
The transition was so smooth, it barely caused a ripple. After all, the new boss had risen through the ranks over more than two decades. Yet in a couple of respects, the appointment was momentous.
Ms Hibbs, 44, is the first woman to hold the top job at QVM. And few Australian CEOs command such a mighty economic force.
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'We get about 10 million visitors each year - we're among Melbourne's top three tourist attractions - and 30 per cent of them come from overseas, interstate or regional Victoria,' she says.
'Based on average spend per customer, the annual combined turnover of all the market's businesses is now more than $1 billion.
'Of course, there is no measuring the intrinsic value of the market to Melbourne life and culture.'
Some 18,000 citizens felt likewise in the early 1970s when they protested against the Melbourne City Council's plans to redevelop the QVM site.
A National Trust heritage listing ended that threat, though a fresh one came in 1997 - the year the market was corporatised and Crown Casino - with its 24/7 enticements - opened.
'The '90s were tough, but now that people are returning to a more simple lifestyle and inner-city living has become so popular, the market is really thriving,' Ms Hibbs says.
'It's a great community hub - not just shopping, but a whole range of attractions from a cooking school and youth activities, to multicultural festivals.'
September will be a big month: Chinese Moon Festival celebrations, the launch of a book by Melbourne food writer Carolyn Holbrook and the restoration of the market's Art Deco gem - the Dairy Produce Hall - built in 1928.
Crown Casino To Queen Vic Market Street
'It has the most beautiful interior, with features such as nickel and silver window frames, and the project will cost more than $1 million,' Ms Hibbs said.
'We're also planning a new recycling building. It will open in 2010 and cost about $2.5 million.'
With its solar energy units, harvested rainwater - used for flushing the market's toilets - and extensive waste recycling, the QVM has solid green credentials.
Ms Hibbs plans to boost them further.
'We're exploring the introduction of a methane ingester to produce bio-gas,' says the CEO who was a 22-year-old arts graduate when she joined the QVM as a receptionist.
She was elevated to property manager after gaining her graduate diploma in property from RMIT and later promoted to commercial manager.
Ms Hibbs has no doubts about the real backbone of the QVM.
'About 3000 people, including stall-holders and their staff, work at the market and I never cease to marvel at them,' she says.
'Take the butchers. They start at 3am and are still smiling at 2pm when they're serving their last customers of the day.'
Originally published asQueen Vic Market goes green
Queen Victoria Market is more than just Melbourne’s shopping mecca – it’s an historic landmark, a tourist attraction and an shopping institution for Melburnian’s.
This vast and vibrant centre of trade and commerce was officially opened on 20 March 1878 and has served consumers needs for more than 120 years.
The Vic Market as it is known by Melburnian’s is a great place to get a feel for Melbourne’s diverse cultures.
Spread over 7 hectares, it is the largest open air Market in the southern hemisphere. Almost one thousand traders sell everything from exotic Australian fruit and vegetables and local and imported gourmet foods, meat, fish and poultry to hardware, manchester, clothing and authentic Australian artefacts and souvenirs.
Wine tasting is conducted Sunday afternoons, providing a great opportunity to try some of the world class wines produced in many regions throughout the state. The market is the most popular visitor attraction in Victoria, and guided tours are available Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings.
In its 120 plus years, Queen Victoria Market has had a colourful and sometimes controversial history. During that time, the site has been a cemetery, a Livestock Market and a Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market.
Crown Casino To Queen Vic Marketplace
The Queen Victoria Market was officially opened on 20 March 1878.
- Weekdays
- Trading Hours
- Tue: 6am – 2pm
- Thu: 6am – 2pm
- Fri: 6am – 5pm
- (general merchandise to 4pm)
- Weekends
- Trading Hours
- Sat: 6am – 3pm
- Sun: 9am – 4pm
- QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET’S WEBSITE