Subiaco Station Street Markets 3.97

The Station Street Markets started life back in the early 1980’s when the northern side of Subiaco was just industrial land with no infrastructure around the Markets. Back then the Markets were very rustic and full of characters reminiscent of the European gypsy traveller markets. The Markets were surrounded by old warehouses and factories.

Subiaco was still very under populated and being so close to the city, was ripe for redevelopment. The old Subiaco everyone knew and loved was on the edge of a massive rebirth. The Subiaco Railway station was above ground with an old station and platform and the northern and southern side of Subiaco were segregated by the railway station and old carparks.

In the early 1990’s the state government set up the Subiaco Redevelopment Authority who’s Mission was to link the old Subiaco with the northern side and infill vast areas of underutilised land. Old and disused factories and buidings were torn down and small pockets of land was Released for sale as residential blocks.

The concept plan released by the state government showed the removal of the Subiaco Station Street Markets. The Subiaco Station Street Markets were under direct threat of closure. There was an uproar with thousands of customers and local residents against this plan. Many thousands of customers and residents signed petitions and lobbied their local Government ministers for the Markets to stay. Luckily the Markets was free hold property and the Markets owners at the time were very keen to preserve the iconic Subiaco Station Street Markets.

Following rallies against their closure and the presentation of 50,000 signatures to the Premier of the day, the Subiaco Redevelopment Authority agreed that the Markets should stay and building and construction carried on around it. Since that time, many residents who live within the Centro precinct make the Subiaco Station Street Markets their destination for shopping and meeting friends for a coffee or lunch.