During Darwin’s dry season, stallholders at of the city’s Mindil Beach Sunset Markets welcome locals and tourists who buy their wares and eat their treats while waiting for the world-famous sunset to arrive. 

With COVID-19 striking as they were about to start for the year, the markets were cancelled, resulting in a significant loss in revenue for the markets, small businesses, and overall the local economy.

Fortunately, with restrictions easing in the Northern Territory, there has been some relief among small business owners as the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets can reopen.

The markets will now resume running run every Thursday and Sunday until October on the city’s magnificent Mindil Beach. With the markets reopened and following strict social distancing rules, the 200 stalls, live music, and performances by local indigenous groups can once again inject money into the local economy. 

The Mindil Beach Sunset Markets is the showpiece of Thursday and Sunday nights in Darwin, with locals referring to it as “the best place in Australia to watch the sunset”. It is run by a not-for-profit group that provides a platform for local businesses to sell their wares, in turn creating jobs for more than 1,000 local residents. 

It is estimated over one million people attend the markets each year, helping it contribute $15 million to the Northern Territory economy. 

The markets also enjoy strong ties with local community groups and supporters who are actively involved in developing the markets for everyone to enjoy in the future.

The Lott, through Tatts NT, has been a long-term supporter of Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and is proud to support a not-for-profit that gives so much to Darwin’s local community and small businesses. To see more about the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, check out the video below.