Goulburn Mulwaree Rotary Club Swap meet

There was possibly over 1000 stall holders at the peak of activity early Sunday morning at the Recreation Area.

It is one of Australia's largest swap meets drawing buyers and sellers from interstate as well as Goulburn and nearby towns. The Goulburn Swap Meet is conducted by the Goulburn-Mulwaree Rotary Club.

Stall holders set up early for a chance to grab the early morning customers the range of goods for sale is endless from auto parts and vehicles to antiques and tools of all descriptions. As long as it is transportable and legal it can be sold.

With hot food available from 5.30pm on Saturday to 8pm and all day Sunday stall holders can arrive on Saturday to set up for the next day of trading. often amongst stall holders goods exchange hands on the Saturday evening before the general public arrives.

This year even the bottom car park at the Southern end of the grounds on Braidwood road filled on Sunday as bargain hunters and just lookers swarmed through the gates.

 The money raised from the gate takings stall fees and the barbecue stall all go back into the community or is used to fund Rotary projects that benefit the wider community.

 It takes the club members several days to set up at the Goulburn Recreation Area and a lot more work behind the scenes to make every year's swap meet a success.

 The Rotary Club also calls on other community organisations to help with tasks like manning the gates as the task has grown way too large for a single organisation. One of the rotary officials Jarvis Hayman expressed his concern at the lack of young people who are involved in service organisations. The problem is apparently made worse by the hours people are working and the need to retire at a latter age. Everyone seems to be too busy these days", he said. “Most often they sight working long hours and not getting enough time even for their jobs at home.”

Anyone who is looking to make friends and get involved in activities, that benefits the community is welcome to ask us about joining Rotary the clubs need more members so they can continue to assist the community.