Tasmania's most visited tourist destination, Salamanca Market, is able to keep operating and COVID compliant thanks to the work of volunteers.
"There is simply no way the city could have resourced this any other way," said Iris Goetzki, manager of Activation Programs and Tourism at the Hobart City Council.
Meng Lu Cai is one of approximately 60 volunteers who the market deploys every Saturday out of a pool of 170 enthusiastic workers.
"During the COVID-19 period I really wanted to do something for the community," she said.
"I think this is a great opportunity for me to be part of the volunteers for Salamanca Market and to do something for our community."
Salamanca Market's front line
Before coronavirus, the market bustled with about 25,000 visitors every Saturday, and is now able to have only 4,000 people on site, including stallholders, council workers and patrons.
"We were nudging the 1 million mark over a 12-month period before COVID," Ms Goetzki said.
The market closed for a period of time last year for public health reasons and reopened in August.
It grew in size from last September, but is still operating at a reduced capacity.
While the market has always had a role for volunteers to provide information, it now requires many more workers to ensure that COVID restrictions are adhered to.
"The volunteers were central to our public education when we resumed the market," Ms Goetzki said.
"We now have 170 volunteers registered in order to assist us manage two shifts a week, each of 40 to 60 [people]," Ms Goetzki said.
"We've been using volunteers to assist us with on-site sanitation, and with patron counting.
"The requirements for contact tracing really brought us to a new level; it was a massive step up for us," she said.
Volunteers from around the world
Chin Fang Chen, who has been volunteering at the market with her husband Zico Chong since they moved to Tasmania from Taiwan two years ago, said she appreciated the friendliness of people who passed through the entrance.
Wen Xuan Wang, an international student at the University of Tasmania, also volunteers at the market.
"I basically want to meet more people, and help people control COVID-19.
"My favourite thing about volunteering is to get yourself out and meet people.
"Especially for international students, we don't have many opportunities to interact with Australian people," he said.
Partnership with the university
While some of the volunteers have long worked with the Hobart City Council, many are new and have come through a partnership with the University of Tasmania.
Luke Cazaly began his role as a program officer with the council only six weeks ago, but when he inducts groups of volunteers twice a day at each Saturday market, it's apparent he has already established rapport with them.
"They really love being part of that community spirit that large markets have, and making friendships."
A significant market
COVID-19 has caused the only extended break in the market's history.
"Salamanca" as the market is known to locals, has changed over the years, from a flea market that also sold local produce and art, to primarily tourist-oriented stalls, which still hold appeal to locals.
The first market was run with six stalls in November 1971, after the National Council of Women, Tasmania put a proposal to the Hobart City Council to run it.
While the market initially operated only in summer, it has been a weekly event since 1977.
