Meet the 'mum' of the Old Bus Depot Markets

In an unpredictable world, some things remain very predictable: if it’s a Sunday morning, Carol Webster will be at her stall at the Old Bus Depot Markets. It’s been that way nearly every Sunday for 30 years and counting.

“I remember being frightened at first that nobody would buy anything,” she says.

“But what I found over the years, as a general rule, is the customers who come to a market that’s advertised as a creative arts market are just lovely people. They’re there because they choose to be – they haven’t just stumbled across you in a department store.”

‘Carol’s Creations’ (along with Karen Kowald’s ‘Moondrop Pearls’) is one of the original stalls at one of Canberra’s longest-running markets. The Old Bus Depot Markets, held in what was once ACTION’s Kingston depot, celebrates its 30th birthday this Sunday (10 November).

Yep, it’s been here every Sunday between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm for three decades, only pausing in 2020 for repairs to the building after the January hailstorm and then COVID lockdowns.

And Carol has attended nearly every one, to the point she even has a nickname.

“Amongst the other stallholders, especially the younger ones, I’m their ‘market mum’, which is lovely,” Carol says.

“They come and ask for help setting up their stalls, and they tell me all about their personal problems.”

Today, she’s known for her broad range of gold and silver jewellery, such as earrings, necklaces, dresses and lapel pins, as well as coloured polymer clay beads, all created from her Canberra home. Prices range from about $25 to $55.

The work has earned her spots in the Better Homes and Gardens and Handmade magazine, and she’s won many major jewellery design awards, including at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

She was born in Wagga, where she undertook an apprenticeship in silver and gold smithing straight out of school, but upon moving to Canberra with her husband and having three kids, the art was relegated to a spare-time hobby. She’d then sell what she could at various art shows on the weekend.

It was at one of these art shows in the early 1990s that she was approached by Diane Hinds and Morna Whiting, who were looking for stallholders for their new market.

“The Old Bus Depot Markets were to be the biggest markets of their type at the time, and the girls were very selective of who could be there, so it was very exciting to be selected,” Carol says.

“And Morna and Diane were lovely and caring people. I fell quite ill at one stage, and the first bunch of flowers I got was from those girls.”

In 2016, Diane and Morna finally passed the baton on to the markets’ new owners, Iconic Market and Events.

Carol says visitor numbers have plateaued over the past few years as new markets have sprung up in Canberra, and rising costs of living don’t help either, but “even during times of hardship, people still have discretionary income put aside for gift-giving”.

“And they’d much rather come to us and have something personal than go to a big department store.”

While not really turning a profit for her, the markets were undoubtedly her big break and still allow her to do more of what she loves for no cost.

“It pays for my supplies,” she says.

“And it’s just a nice place to be. There are people who, when they were kids, they’d come in with their mums, and I did their jewellery for their formals or weddings. There’s been a lot of relationships built over the years.”

This coming Sunday’s special ‘Jewel of Canberra’ celebrations will feature a giant 30th birthday card for visitors to sign and an Instagram photo frame perched out the front to “capture the fun and balloons”.

“The Markets began their journey in 1994, and 30 years later, we’re still supporting local artists, makers, designers and creators,” manager Richard Vagi says.

“We’ve always been a Sunday tradition for Canberrans and visitors who come in to see us for locally made, artisan creations including homewares, jewellery, clothing, artworks and, of course, all our tasty food.

“We’re proud to still be throwing the doors open each Sunday, welcoming visitors with our friendly atmosphere and as a place where they can meet the genuine makers behind the products they love.”

The Old Bus Depot Markets are open from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm every Sunday.