Northampton council to consider proposal for African, Spanish cuisine food van to operate in Kalbarri

A food van selling African, Spanish and Asian cuisine may be hitting Kalbarri shores to help feed tourists as local businesses continue to rebuild after cyclone Seroja. The Shire of Northampton will on Friday consider a proposal from food van business Salt Sister to operate in Kalbarri for 12 months. The business has previously operated a mobile food vehicle in the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River and is proposing to operate in the Mid West tourist town for up to six nights each week between 4pm and 9pm. In the wake of cyclone Seroja, concern was raised with council that local food outlets would not have the ability to cope with the increased demands for food over July 2021 school holidays. Subsequently, council granted temporary approval for local mobile food vendors to operate at Sally’s Tree and the car parking areas at the intersection of Clotworthy and Grey streets until August 18 this year, at which point the arrangement would be reviewed. In a report being presented to council, Shire chief executive Garru Keeffe said Kalbarri remains in “recovery phase”, with the lack of available food services being felt by tourists and locals on a day-to-day basis and especially during school holidays. “The Shire of Northampton’s Kalbarri townsite strategy seeks to enhance and develop Kalbarri as a tourist and family holiday destination, and it is considered that this application supports the strategy’s objectives,” he said. During the advertising period, 15 submissions from adjacent landowners were made in support of the proposed food van business, with two submissions objecting to the development. The objections were in relation to the impact to existing and new food service businesses and wastewater contamination.