If you are starting a new business you must contact the Gannawarra Shire Council to ensure you comply with the Food Act 1984 requirements.
The Food Act 1984 requires that all businesses that handle, prepare, package, store, serve, supply and repackage food must be registered with their local council.
To register a Food Premises, visit the Forms page of Council's website and click on the Business Permits and Approvals heading.
For the latest information regarding fees and charges, please view the current financial year Fees and Charges schedule, which you can do by clicking here.
Anyone interested in setting up a new food business or considering altering an existing premises should contact the Environmental Health team prior to starting work. Plans of the proposed set up of the premises need to be submitted for approval.
Council's Environmental Health Officers routinely perform inspections of food premises to ensure food safety standards are followed and public health is protected.
Prior to purchasing an existing food business, it is wise to have the premises checked by an Environmental Health Officer. To arrange an inspection, please complete the following request for an inspection form.
Please note that written consent from the existing proprietor of premises is required prior to an inspection report from an Environmental Health Officer being released to the purchaser.
To transfer the registration, complete the relevant form based on your classification and submit this form and the relevant fee to the Health Services Unit. This form must be completed by both the new and existing proprietors.
If trading from a temporary structure (ie. food stall, marquee, cart etc) or from a mobile food/beverage vehicles you need to apply on the Streatrader website.
Temporary premises also include the temporary use of a kitchen not owned or leased by the food business. For example, if you are cooking cakes out of a hired kitchen to sell later, you need to register your use of this kitchen as a temporary food premises.
Trading on council property or public land like a roadside or footpath may also require a Roadside Trading Permit. For more information, please click here.
Under the Food Act, all food premises (new and existing) belong to one of four classes.
A food safety program is a written plan that shows how a food business will ensure that the food it sells is safe for human consumption.
Class 1 and 2 food premises must have a food safety program. This applies to businesses that provide potentially hazardous food to vulnerable groups, such as in aged care facilities, as well as many other food business types, including restaurants, cafes, take-away stores, pubs, delicatessens, most manufacturers and other food business types.
Class 1 and class 2 food premises are required under the Act to keep a copy of their food safety program onsite at the premises.
Class 1 and class 2 food premises must also have a food safety supervisor. A food safety supervisor needs to have the expertise and authority to ensure that all food handling staff have sufficient skills and knowledge to provide safe food; including being able to understand and follow the food safety program.
Food businesses whose main activities involve the sale or preparation for sale of foods not commonly associated with food poisoning (class 3 and 4) do not need a food safety program or food safety supervisor. Class 3 businesses however will need to keep completed basic records of their food safety practices onsite.
Go to the Department of Health's website for more information.