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 The Melbourne Wholesale Fish Market is the focal point for the fishing industry in South East Australia. Fish arrives fresh daily direct from fishing ports and inland waterways. It is the only centre that supplies the full range of available fresh fish in Victoria. The Market is made up of two sections, the main part consists of four commissioned agents who sell fresh fish on behalf of fishermen. The other section of the Market is made up of thirteen provedores who compliment the agents by specialising in imported fish, crustaceans, molluscs, shellfish and processed fish. Businesses from Melbourne, Country Victoria, N.S.W. and S.A. use the market as their main source of fish. 
Melbourne's wholesale markets have a long history extending back to when the Port Phillip District was apart of New South Wales. The original Market opened on the site now occupied by the National Mutual Center in 1841, selling general merchandise, such as hardware, apparel, crockery, butchers meats, smallgoods, cheese, eggs, poultry, game, fruit, vegetables, garden produce and fish from the local rivers and bay. The Melbourne City Council took over contol of the Market in 1842, soon after the N.S.W. Legislative Council passed an act creating the local government district of Melbourne. As more and more fish were being supplied to the Market, the question of creating a separate fish market was considered in 1859. After some difficulty finding a suitable location, Melbourne's first fish market opened on the site now occupied by Flinders Street railway station in 1869. In 1888, the ownership of this land was transfered to the Railway Commission in exchange for a 2.3 hectare site further along Flinders Street near Spencer Street, where the Fish Market operated from 1892 until 1959. By the mid 1950's the moving of ever larger trucks into the rapidly expanding post war city became a major problem. As a result the City Council approached the State GOvernment to find a new site for not only the Fish Market, but the wholsale fruit and vegetable market located at Queen Victoria Market which was facing similar problems. A suitable site was located in Footscray Road, West Melbourne which was issued the Council as a Crown Land Grand. The present Fish Market was constructed on 4.6 hectares and commenced trading in 1959 after being opened by the Premier Henry Bolle. |
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