Camp Elsdon

General information

Originally the Porirua Market began in 1977 with 5 local residents selling from their car boot at Ferry Place. Customers kept coming, stalls then keep turning up to sell their stuff. They then moved to Riverside Car Park a short time later.

Jaycees club became involved in 1980 by administering the market site. Jaycees did so for 6 years but were unable to continue on.

The Porirua Saturday Market has since been run by the Lions Club of Titahi Bay from 1986. It was run for 11 years in the Riverside Car Park before shifting to Cobham Court, a major central city parking precinct, early in 1997. In May 2015, another relocation was made to the rear car park of Waitangirua Shopping Mall.

The market is a major attraction for Porirua and has been widely covered by local and Wellington newspapers as well as all New Zealand channels and BBC World.

It is similar to but obviously smaller than the huge Otara Market in South Auckland. It is open from 4am to 12noon on Saturday mornings all the year round with the exceptions of ANZAC day and Christmas Day when it falls on a Saturday, and maybe one Saturday in the new year.

Who would get up so early on Saturday mornings? Many Wellington restaurateurs!, shift workers, and midnight travellers who are 'in the know' passing by Porirua.

' Large busy and popular market with strong Polynesian and Asian flavour - ethnic food, bric-a-brac, clothing, fresh produce, Pacific Island crafts. Popular and traditional Pacific Island music as well as current tunes from several stalls.'

We would love to see more arts and craft stalls attend. Admission is free and there is a small charge for stalls. Proceeds go back into the community.