And those living around Ballarat North will know there has been a collection of food trucks which have all opened their doors to the public in the past 12 months.

It's been a winning business combination for many over the past two years as restaurants have been forced to limit numbers or offer predominantly takeaway services, something food trucks don't have to tend with.

One food truck business which is thriving is Soi Siam Thai which is based in the Northway IGA Tuesday to Sunday nights.

Robert Fedorowicz and his wife Saifon have had their food truck business since 2018, initially starting in Karratha in Western Australia, before the family moved to Ballarat.

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"I was working in the gas and oil industry in Western Australia and when I left that industry after 10-and-a-half years, we were keen to start up a business," Mr Fedorowicz said.

"When we moved to Victoria, we spent six weeks in Maldon, and initially we were thinking of moving our family to Bendigo, but we weren't able to find anything there, so we broadened our search, and within 24 hours we had found somewhere in Ballarat."

Mr Fedorowicz said the truck was initially based near the driving range at Ballarat Golf Club.

"We actually found out that the driving range was owned by the same people who owned Ryan's IGA and we knew there was a coffee van there in the mornings, but nothing in the afternoon, so we inquired about whether they would be interested," he said. "They were open to the opportunity, we set up a trial a couple of nights, and it seemed to work well. We've expanded now to Tuesday to Sunday, it's the been the best move we could possibly has wished for."

Another food truck which is making a huge impact in Ballarat's northern suburbs is Roama Mobile Pizzeria which is based at the corner of Howitt and Doveton streets next to the go kart centre.

Owner Michael Beuskens is this week celebrating his first birthday in business, having moved from Halls Gap.

"I was operating there for six weeks and then lockdown two came along and the town became a ghost town," he said.

"I made a decision at that point, that I was mobile, the better future was to come to a larger centre like Ballarat.

"When I got to Ballarat, I knew the town a little bit but I was basically doing blockies and cold contacting various business to cut a deal.

"It just happened that the go karts had an idea to put a food truck there, so it was two people with one idea."

The food truck industry is one which has managed to navigate the pandemic without disruption.

Mr Fedorowicz said many of the food truck business which have started up have done so with support of local businesses, as setting up a truck on public land was cost prohibitive.

"To get a food truck license is easy but to have it operate on public land is almost impossible," he said.

"For example, it's exceptionally difficult to trade in a public carpark. There are many conditions you need to meet, such as space, not near sets of lights, not within 500m of other retails and permit prices.

"In Karratha, they had an area known as Dreamers Hill. A small town like that doesn't have the restaurants, so it became a real carnival atmosphere.

"It would be great to set something like that up in Ballarat, somewhere where there is some good traffic flow, There was the drop-in COVID testing site at Victoria Park, I think that would be a perfect location."

Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said council was working on supporting all new businesses and had recently completed its investigations into more permanent mobile installations, with expressions of interest closing earlier this month.

"We're keen on any type of business. We'd like to do a focus on watersports around the lake such as stand-up paddle boarding or something like that," he said.

"But we're open to everything be it confectionery, coffee karts, anything that's a commercial activity.

"Expressions of interest closed on October 8 and the officers have suggested there is a good range and they are currently being worked through."

Cr Moloney said council was waiving many of the permit fees for locally-based business people hoping to open over the summer period as a way of encouraging business growth.

But he said it would not be a free-for-all for those wishing to operate from outside Ballarat.

"We are not charging cafes and restaurateurs for outdoor dining or footpath signage. There are normally fees for those activities, during COVID those have been waived," he said.

"It's a big balancing act. We have to have as fair a trading environment as possible. It can't be just a free-for-all. It really is a case of each case being assessed on its merits and a consistent policy is needed.

"We need to encourage a competitive environment. The ACCC requires that. No business should be unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged over another. We're not going to approve a coffee van next door to an established cafe."

While unlikely this summer, a mobile site could be something of the future.

Mr Fedorowicz said the secret of a successful food truck was having a unique product, and while he would like to expand, he knows he has a secret weapon that would be impossible to replicate.

"One thing you need to know as a food truck outlet, is you need to have a unique product," he said.

"I could open up an ice-cream van and someone could come in next door and do the same, I could open a souvlaki truck and someone could do the same, you need to know what you are offering.

"My advantage is my wife Saifon, I could never find another chef that cooks the food the way she does.

"And it's clear that people have really enjoyed how she cooks the food, because we've been able to develop a nice little community around here.

"We only prepare and cook and do everything in the food trailer. There are a lot of stringent rules about preparation, we are not permitted to do it at home, the food inspectors are ruthless.

"We buy our meat and we store it at home in the freezer, but as soon as we get it, we portion everything up and have it ready for the truck. Once it's sold, it's sold."

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