A crackdown on the popular Yarraville Gardens food trucks has stirred a massive community backlash.
Maribyrnong council last Friday began serving notices on mobile food van operators announcing a “permit zone” at the gardens which imposes a limit of six food trucks at any one time, despite up to 25 permits being available for food trucks to operate in Maribyrnong.
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“Excessive dumping of rubbish, illegal dumping of cooking oils and impacts on monthly markets has created a negative impact on the amenity of the Yarraville Gardens,” the notices state.
Operators have questioned whether discussions could have avoided the need for the sudden changes, effective since Monday.
Simon Williams, of White Guy Cooks Thai, said he had watched a remarkable food scene emerge in the two years since his truck was the first to park at Yarraville Gardens, with up to 20 trucks appearing some weekends.
He said a number of operators who had recently paid $2000 for a permit – up from $600 when he began – would struggle to build a customer base if forced to less popular locations.
“There was no discussion prior to this,” he said. “It’s a bit of a knee-jerk reaction.”
Mr Williams said the $2000 fee was supposed to help cover costs such as increased rubbish collection requirements.
Fans of the Yarraville food truck “jams” have been vocal across various social media avenues in their condemnation of the restrictions.
Mr Burger general manager Maleik Edwards said Yarraville Gardens had become the world’s largest regular food truck cluster. “It has really showcased Maribyrnong as a progressive area,” he said.
Maribyrnong mayor Grant Miles said he personally believed the food trucks were fantastic, but the new rules were needed to ensure public health and safety. “It’s getting really out of hand. I think there are too many there and we need to encourage them to other areas.”
He said the six-truck limit might be too low, but the council was open to discussions.
