The Sunday Trash and Treasure Market at Jamison is celebrating its 50th anniversary on September 8.

Run the entire time by the Rotary Club of Belconnen, Peter Oldham – a Rotarian since 1995, and 2005 president – says the community-building market is more of an institution than anything else, and is thrilled to be celebrating the community spirit, which has kept it going all these years.

Peter says the idea for the market came from Melbourne.

Some visiting Belconnen Rotarians brought the idea back to Canberra, and were allocated a spot in the Jamison car park.

“We’ve stayed there ever since, and that’s 50 years ago,” says Peter. 

Over the years, the club has raised more than $8 million, which Rotarians have re-distributed back into the local community, and overseas, through various projects. 

Peter says a standout one for him was the building, and subsequent expansion, of Rotary Cottage at Canberra North Hospital. 

They have also invested in clean-water projects in PNG and established the Rotary Collection of Art, at the National Gallery of Australia, and every Christmas they distribute more than 350 food hampers to those in need across Canberra.

While there are no serving members of the original Rotary group, Peter says their first president Brian Daniell, at nearly 100 years old, still engages on the periphery.

He says there are also a few vendors who have been there close to the entire 50 years.

“We’re open from six in the morning,” says Peter.

“We get there and set up the market, and we’re there till about 12.30 in the afternoon.

“And that involves members of our clubs, plus a number of other clubs assisting. About eight Rotarians, and they’re all volunteers, on every Sunday.

“We run under a permit from the ACT government, and we have to fence off the area, which is a bit of a pain these days, with all of us getting old, but that’s okay.

“It’s a big effort, and it’s been a consistent effort, every week”

But Peter also emphasises the importance of the people who have supported them. 

“The people of Canberra, and particularly Belconnen, are fantastic,” he says.

“They support us every week, we get to know them over the years when they stop and chat.”

Peter says anything and everything can be found at the market, and that items for sale have also transformed over time.

“The permit was changed when I was president,” he says.

“Up until then, we had very few fruit and vegetable stalls because the permit said that it had to be home-grown stuff.

“We got the permit changed and now fruit and veggies are by far the largest number.”

But, Peter says there are still plenty of stalls selling knick-knacks and the like.

“I’m a philatelist, amongst other things,” he says.

“And there’s a guy who sells stamps at the markets, so I always go and check the new ones.”

Peter says the market is incredibly important for building a sense of community, but Rotary member numbers are dropping, threatening any further longevity.

“We’re getting one or two younger people in,” he says.

“But it’s quite different now because they’ve got much bigger commitments than we had at their age, in terms of the mortgages and what have you.”

Peter encourages everyone to join them in celebrating the market’s 50th anniversary, and maybe even join the Rotary Club!

Trash and Treasure Jamison, find them at Jamison Centre on September 8, from 6.30am to 12.30pm.