Longreach Regional Council is committed to maintaining the health of our environment and our quality of life. Each day our environmental health officer plans, coordinates and implements strategies to minimise adverse environmental and health impacts within our region, protecting residents, businesses and visitors.

The role of the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) is to provide a professional service that will maximise environmental and public health within a community environment by preventing and remedying health and environmental related hazards and risks.

The work of our Environmental Health Officer includes monitoring and responding to air, noise and water pollution and pest species outbreaks, risk and emergency management, delivering quality public health services and auditing local businesses to identify health and environmental impacts, particularly the following:-

• Food – cafes and restaurants, food trucks, market stalls, footpath dining, food safety training;
• Pollution – air, noise and water pollution;
• Health – asbestos, mosquitoes, rats, and mice;
• Personal Appearance – beauty, hairdressing, tattooing, body piercing, and nail salons;
• Tourism – camping and caravan parks;
• Leisure – events, venues, busking and filming;
• Waste – illegal dumping and littering;
• Other business – advertising signs, home-based business activities and roadside (itinerant) vending.

For further information, you may contact our Environmental Health Officer on (07) 4658 4111.

Roadside Vendors

Roadside vending is the commercial supply of goods and services on the side of the road in a council regulated area. To trade as a roadside vendor an approval must be obtained from Council to ensure the activity is carried out in accordance with Subordinate Local Law 1.2.

A maximum of 2 roadside vendors can operate in any of the towns in the Longreach region at any given time. The following permit types are issued. All permits only allow for a vendor to trade for 3 consecutive days and the number of visits is determined by the permit that is applied for.

To apply for a Roadside Vending approval, you will need to submit a completed application form to Council. The fee is to be paid before a permit is granted by Council. A copy of Public Liability Insurance must be provided as part of the application process.

Download a Roadside Vendor application form

Further information can be obtained by contacting Council on (07) 4658 4111 or via e-mail: assist@longreach.qld.gov.au

Roadside Vendor dates can now be viewed on the Events Calendar.

Note: cancellations and date changes do occur from time to time with Roadside Vendors. Council will update the calendar within two business days once  a notification is received of a change from a Roadside Vendor.

Mosquito Prevention

The Wet season brings joy to our area, but also mosquitoes.
Mosquito bites can be painful and uncomfortable. Some types of mosquitoes are able to transmit diseases to humans and animals. Mosquito numbers can increase during wet weather. Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses are the most common mosquito-borne diseases in Queensland. Some types of mosquitoes can give your dog heartworm. Protect yourself against mosquito bites.  Not only are they irritating, mozzie bites can also spread disease. Different types of disease-carrying mosquitoes can bite at different times of the day, so it's important to be vigilant at all times.

• Install or repair insect screens on all doors and windows, especially in sleeping areas. Use insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin, to protect against mosquito bites.
• Read and follow all directions and precautions on the mosquito repellent product label, especially for infants. As a general rule, repellent is not recommended for infants under the age of 2 months (babies under 2 months can be protected with light coloured clothing covering their arms and legs).
• For young children, apply just enough repellent to cover exposed skin, re-apply every 4 hours and avoid applying repellent to a child's hands or near their eyes or mouth. Do not allow children under 5 years to apply repellent to themselves.
• Wear long, loose clothing to help protect yourself from bites (light coloured clothes are best).
• Use a plug-in insecticide vaporiser (indoors) or mosquito coils (outdoors).

Rainwater tanks and mosquitoes

Scientific reports have suggested unmaintained rainwater tanks may be the means for the dengue mosquito re-establishing in Queensland. Rainwater tanks that are not properly sealed and screened can provide ideal conditions for these types of mosquitoes to breed all year round.

You can stop mosquitoes breeding in your rainwater tank by:

• ensuring there is no debris in the tank
• cleaning roof guttering to prevent water pooling
• ensuring water does not pool on the tank lid
• sealing all entry routes to the rainwater tank including inlet and overflow pipes with mosquito-proof screens.

A gap the size of a matchstick head is enough to let mosquitoes into your tank to lay eggs.

Mosquito-proof screens should:

• have openings less than one millimetre
• be made of stainless steel or aluminium
• be secure but removable for cleaning. In some systems, screens can be incorporated into a rainhead, first flush device or underground filter pit.

If you find mosquito larvae (or “wrigglers”) inside the tank, you can eliminate them by adding a small amount of liquid paraffin or edible kitchen oil to form a thin film on the surface of the water. This stops any hatched mosquitoes flying off. It is recommended you find out how the mosquitoes got into your rainwater tank and make necessary repairs to ensure your tank is sealed.

Biting midges do not transmit diseases to humans however they are a common nuisance along the freshwater ways in Queensland.

For further information, you contact our Environmental Health Officer on (07) 4658 4111.