Creating Connection at the Woodend Farmers Market

Woodend has long been known for its mobile connectivity issues and with the onset of the pandemic in 2020, combined with the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group’s determination that the market should continue as an essential service meant that the Action Group quickly implemented a “cashless” policy which in turn exacerbated the problem.

The Woodend Farmers Market has gained in popularity with an estimated 4,000+ patrons visiting to buy food directly from our farmers and producers each month. With mobile internet reception already poor, the extra load on the system became apparent as many stallholders who relied on their Eftpos facilities were losing sales and patrons were leaving empty handed.

A solution was needed and with pleas to the telecommunication companies going unheeded the Farmers Market Action Group team found their own economically viable solution. A system has been trialled that allows the market operators to provide reliable internet quickly and easily to the over 80 stallholders.

Using a Space-X satellite dish with extenders mounted throughout the market, stallholders can connect directly to the Starlink network. During the trial stallholders have reported a marked decrease in lost sales and are grateful to the organisers for their initiative. The system will be expanded and refined over the coming months to become a permanent offering for stallholders.

Pictured: Action Group Member and IT whiz, Brent Howard setting up the portable WiFi network at the May 2022 market.