Food Safety

To make a food complaint about retail businesses (except butchers) or food poisoning affecting one household, contact:

Wingecarribee Shire Council Customer Service

Telephone: 02 4868 0888

Email: mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au

To make a food complaint about butchers, food poisoning in more than one household, or other issues relating to food safety and labelling, contact:

NSW Food Authority

Telephone: 1300 552 406

Online: Food Complaint Form
Email: contact@foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au

It is a requirement of the Food Act 2003 and Food Standards Code that food businesses must notify the appropriate regulatory agency before they commence operations.

Food businesses that are regulated by Council are required to notify their business details to Council by using Notification of Food Business form. This applies to any retail food businesses except for retail butchers.

Examples of food businesses that are regulated by Council include:

• Cafes
• Retail bakeries
• Restaurants
• Take away shops
• Pubs/clubs
• Caterers
• Supermarkets
• Groceries
• Convenience stores
• School and college canteens; and
• Childcare facilities that provide food

Businesses operating as a Portable Water Carter are recognised as a food business under the Food Act NSW and are required to notify council under legislation. For further information please refer to Water Filling Stations.

Food Business Notification Form

Other types of food businesses are regulated directly by the NSW Food Authority, and are required to submit their Food Business Notifications directly to them. These include:

• Food wholesalers;
• Food manufacturers, including home-based food manufacturers; and
• Food businesses that require a food safety licence.

Food Business Notification to the NSW Food Authority.

Guidelines for the establishment, construction and set-up of new food premises and the renovation of existing ones are based on the Food Safety Standard 3.2.3 (Food Premises and Equipment) and the Australian Standard 4674-2004 (Design, construction and fit-out of food premises). 

Food premises design, construction and fit-out guide(PDF, 4MB) (PDF, 4MB)

NSW food legislation requires that certain types of food businesses must have a certified Food Safety Supervisor. Further information is available on the NSW Food Authority web resource Food Safety Supervisors (FSS) – Guide for businesses.

Development Control Requirements

Before commencing a home-based food business, you are responsible to ensure that:

• the intended activity is permissible under the applicable development controls; and
• if required, a Development Application (DA) approval for such activity is in place.

To enquire about the development application requirements that apply to a particular residential property, please contact Council's Duty Planner.

Food Safety & Hygiene Requirements

Information about food safety and hygiene requirements to home-based food businesses is available on the NSW Food Authority web resource Home-based and mixed businesses.

The following links provide specific information regarding food stalls and food handling at temporary events such as markets, festivals and fairs:

Guidelines for food businesses at temporary events

Food safety requirements for charitable and not-for-profit organisations

For further information, please visit the Food Authority website. 

Trading on Private Land

A mobile food business trading on private land must:

• obtain property owner’s consent;
• comply with the provisions of Clauses 2.54A-2.54B of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 and any other applicable planning controls;
• submit the Food Business Notification Form to Council; and
• comply with the applicable food safety & hygiene requirements (see below).

Trading on Public Land

• A mobile food business is allowed to trade at approved markets and events as long as they:
• • obtain permission of the market or event organiser;
  • submit the Food Business Notification Form to Council; and
  • comply with the applicable food safety & hygiene requirements (see below).
• Mobile food trading on public land outside approved markets and events is not permitted without Council approval under section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993. Council does not approve mobile food trading in public parks, reserves and roadside locations, with the exception of designated Rest Areas adjacent to Hume Freeway (see below); and
• Council will only consider applications for mobile food trading in designated Rest Areas adjacent to Hume Freeway (Mackey VC Rest Area & Gordon VC Rest Area) if the applicant provides a letter of concurrence from the NSW Road & Maritime Services.

Food Safety & Hygiene Requirements for Mobile Food Premises

These guidelines inform businesses selling food from a mobile vending vehicle in NSW of their legal requirements in relation to the Food Act 2003 and the Food Standards Code. They provide information on basic requirements such as power supply and waste disposal and suggest ways to maintain food safety.

Guidelines for mobile food vending vehicles

For further information, please visit the Food Authority website. 

The following links provide specific information for charity groups wishing to hold charity events such as sausage sizzles.

Sausage sizzles and barbeques 

Food safety requirements for charitable and not-for-profit organisations  

Wingecarribee Shire Council - Environmental Health Officer

Email: mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au

Telephone: 02 4868 0888