A photo shared on social media on June 6 showed several golliwog dolls alongside handicrafts at the Toowoomba Farmers’ Market.

A week later the dolls were back on sale.

“I honestly couldn’t believe they were there,” said regular marketgoer Renee.”

I’m a white female in my 40s, and it made me feel more than uncomfortable, so I asked myself, if I was [Indigenous] how would that make me feel?

“Toowoomba should be doing better. We have 100,000 people — it’s not a small country town with no excuse.”

Toowoomba Farmers’ Market organiser Robyn Ayles agreed, and said the markets moved swiftly to remove the dolls.

“I was not aware they were at the market. After I received messages, I talked to the stallholder, she has packed the dolls away and won’t be selling them at any markets in the future,” she said.

“It wasn’t a very hard decision to make; it was obviously distressing people in the community.

“We don’t pretend to be experts on the history of the dolls, but accept they are racially offensive to many and have asked for them to not be sold at the market.”

The ABC approached the store holder, who said she was not fully aware of the history of golliwogs and confirmed she would not offer them for sale at upcoming markets.

Complaints about dolls’ removal

Ms Ayles said the markets had received dozens of messages of support for the decision to remove the dolls, but admitted there were some complaints.

“We stand by the decision we made,” she said.

“Our stallholders have been very understanding and supportive of this move.

“I think we can all be educated, and we can learn from our past.

“We are proud of the inclusive and friendly community we have built around the Toowoomba Farmers’ Market and sincerely regret any offence or harm caused.

“We want people to enjoy the experience of coming to the market.”

– ABC / Peter Gunders