Public Health and Accommodation Businesses

Registration

Under the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, all prescribed premises must be registered with their relevant Council in order to operate.

Please Note: It is an offence to run prescribed premises without registration. Council may prosecute those premises who operate without registration.

Prescribed premises are:

• Hairdressing
• Beauty therapy or similar business
• Colonic irrigation
• Tattooing, ear piercing (or any other process involving penetration of the skin of a living human being)
• Accommodation (such as hotels, motels, Bed and Breakfast, rooming houses)

The Public Health and Wellbeing Constructions Guideline has a summary of responsibilities for personal care and body art industry premises.

New businesses

Once you have decided to go ahead with your new business, it’s recommended you contact our office to discuss your business proposal.

A copy of your premise’s plans must be submitted to Public Health Services before starting construction works.

An Environmental Health Officer will either approve your plans in writing or contact you for alterations and amendments within 5 to 7 working days.

Additional approvals may also be required.

Other Council departments and organisations that need to be contacted when considering opening a new business include:

Department	Organisation Reason
Council Economic Development Unit Phone: (03) 5032 3033	Economic profiles, advice and contact point for working with Council.
Council Statutory Planning Phone: (03) 5036 2352	Town planning advice including parking and signs.
Council Building Department Phone: (03) 5036 2352	Building permits and toilet requirements.
Council Local Laws Phone: (03) 5036 2346	Permits and advice on Local Laws, particularly advertising signs on footpaths.
Council Rates Office Phone: (03) 5036 2333	To discuss what rates and charges are likely to apply.
Lower Murray Water Phone: (03) 5036 2150	Advice on water supply, trade waste agreements and grease traps.
Consumer Affairs Phone: 1300 588 181	Advice on business name registration, liquor licence.

This is not a comprehensive list.

After your plans are approved

Once your plans have been approved you can go ahead and fit out your premises.

Application for Registration

At this stage you must also provide an application for registration and fee to the Environmental Health Unit.

Registration renewal

You must renew your registration every 12 months after the date of your first registration. Registrations expire 31st  December every year.

Environmental Health Officers will carry out random inspections to make sure your business is registered.

Caravan Parks

Caravan Parks require registration with Council every 3 years and must comply with the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2010.

Public aquatic facilities include swimming pools, spa pools and interactive water features

If aquatic facilities are not properly managed, the health of bathers may be put at risk. Bathers can be affected by disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens) that are passed on through contaminated pool water, contaminated surfaces or person-to-person contact.

This is particularly relevant for vulnerable groups in our community such as young children, the elderly and people with low immunity.

Public aquatic facilities are regulated under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019. The regulations outline registration requirements, general duties of aquatic facility operators, the minimum water quality requirements for aquatic facilities, response procedures for non-compliant water quality, requirements for aquatic facilities suspected or implicated as a source of infection and record-keeping.

Category 1 and category 2 aquatic facilities must comply with the aquatic facilities provisions of the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 and the Water quality guidelines for public aquatic facilities.

• Category 1 and 2 aquatic facilities must have a water quality risk management plan
• Category 1 aquatic facilities must register with Council (application linked above)