Temporary Food Stalls

Temporary food stalls are an important feature at many festivals and events. Temporary food stalls can pose a higher risk to consumers than restaurants due to their temporary nature. Therefore, it is important to ensure your stall is setup and operating in compliance with the Temporary Food Stall Guide.

Temporary Food Premises Set Up  Guide

Temporary food premises are structures that are used to sell food at occasional events like a fundraising event, fete, market or show. Temporary premises are designed to be dismantled after the event, like a stall, tent or barbeque stand. Council’s Environmental Health Officers conduct inspections of temporary event food premises to ensure food standards requirements are being met. If your business sells food at temporary events like markets, or fundraising events, this fact sheet is provided as a guideline as to what the minimum requirements are for setting up a temporary food stall including a diagram of what your set up should look like and on which officers base their assessment of your compliance against.

Temporary Food Premises Licence Application

If you are intending to conduct a temporary food stall, you will be required to complete a Food Premises Licence Application (EHT1) and return the completed application with the appropriate fee to Council.

Non-profit organisations

Non-profit organisations are only required to be licensed if they provide meals at a particular place on at least 12 or more days each financial year.

The definition of “meal” under the Food Act 2006 includes food that:

• is, or is intended to be, eaten by a person sitting at a table or fixed structure used as a table with cutlery and is of adequate substance as to be ordinarily accepted as a meal.

Non-profit organisations don’t need a licence for these activities:

• selling packaged food
• sausage sizzles
• pie sales
• selling unpackaged food that is not a meal
• selling food that is not potentially hazardous

For temporary events run by not for profit organisations a Notification of a temporary food-premises by a non-profit org form  (EHT3) should be completed.

If your non-profit organisation is preparing meals 12 or more times a year, please contact Council’s Environmental Health Team on 07 4099 9444 to determine which licence fee is applicable.

Process for offsite licensed caterers operating in the Douglas Shire, which requires a form to be submitted for catering events

If you hold an Off-site caterer’s Food Licence (must be an off site food licence with a food safety program)  issued from another municipality, you can operate across Local Government boundaries.

You will not have to apply for a Temporary Food Licence (EHT1) for events in the Douglas Shire.

For each event you will need to email a form to Council. If you have multiple events booked for the same location, with the same setup plan, you can list multiple dates on one form.

• Please find below a link to the form –  EHT3 – Notification of a temporary food premises by a Non Profit Organisation or Licenced Off-site Caterers.
• Council will not charge a fee or issue a licence.
• Please attach your Off Site Food Licence with each EHT3 Notification you submit.
• Email the form and licence copy to enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au – this ensures it will get captured in our system.