Info Please

Hi… can’t help you with Queensland requirements… I am in NSW and looked into it a while back… my local council wanted full commercial standard kitchen with stainless steel benchtops, industrial dishwasher and kitchen benches to industrial standards etc. Would of required a $30,000+ makeover, before even looking at insurances registrations etc… yet others seem to get away with a lot less? Was the main reason I remain hobbyist. Start with your local council… see if their requirements are going to be encouraging or prohibitive.
Wish we had home-bake laws like the U.S.
Good luck.

Here is a link for the Qld legislation to which you will have to comply:
http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/qld/consol_act/fa200657/

I’m in Canada, and where I live we go through our local health dept. And it TOTALLY depends on the representative you get. Now some requirements are standard, separate kitchen, stainless steel counters, etc. But I have 2 pro decorator friends in my cake club. One has had no trouble, but she’s had 40 yrs. in business, the other, whose relatively new, well, they put her through the grinder, and still make ridiculous requests. Seems that some inspectors are more lenient than others, and the health dept. says one thing and does another. They can show up on a moments notice for an inspection. And depending on there “mood”, they can give you a warning, or citation. Mini Gods they are. I can honestly say, the experienced decorator never gets harassed from the health dept. I’m sure that’s from her long standing relationship. I can tell you here, many decorators, especially the young and new, work under the “radar”, because the health dept. does not make it conducive for business, and the expense for a small in home decorator is prohibitive. It’s too bad. There always toting wanting new small business, but they make it hard, if not darn near impossible. I have American friends that are pro bakers out of there homes, and many are covered under “cottage law”. Not exactly sure what the law entails, but it makes it much easier for them to operate.
Best of luck Cloud Cakes. I hope you get a licence to operate without too much trouble.

Australian Cake Decorating Network might be a good source of info for you… I do not pay for the yearly membership subscription, but I know they should be able to help point you in the right direction, particularly with things you will need like liability insurance.
Also check out cost of securing an ABN number… I think they used to be free, but there was recent talk that the Aussie government is going to start charging $500 per annum… an accountant may be able to advise whether this is correct or not.