General News
27 October, 2025
Gongski to Kransky
A POPULAR food van at Mission Beach has lost its fight to stay in the car park of the town’s visitor information centre.
Cassowary Coast Regional Council will not be renewing a permit for the van – ‘Kranky Kransky’ – which expires on 31 January.
“We love where we are. We love serving visitors and locals in the relaxed, informal setting and our product is tried and true. We adhere to all the necessary rules and pay all the necessary permit fees,” owners of Kranky Kransky, Herbert and Bronwen Heser wrote in a letter to The Observer in our previous issue.
Since then, letters from supporters have been written to the council, urging them to allow the food van to stay.
A health professional, whose clients regularly visit the spot and enjoy its food, drinks and relaxed surrounds, said in a supportive letter that “from an occupational therapist’s perspective, (who works with a lot of local NDIS clients in this community) Kranky Kransky has been a perfect option for community access for special needs folk, young and old,” she wrote.
“There’s always much fun and laughter that surrounds the Kranky Kransky van. Definitely a low stress zone. All agree what a special place Kranky Kransky is.”
But it seems the council will not be budging from its decision not to extend Kranky Kransky’s stay near the north end of Mission Beach.
A council spokeswoman, responded to The Observer’s inquiries about the food van being forced to vacate the spot, said a goodwill arrangement with the operators of Kranky Kransky was made in 2022 “to support them to operate on a short-term basis at a minimal cost from the visitor centre’s carpark while they rebuilt their business following a fire”,
“The arrangement was always temporary,” she said.
“In July, (the) council extended Kranky Kranksy’s permit to 31 January 2026, which aligns with the expected completion of the Mission Beach revitalisation project and gives the operators more time to find a suitable ongoing location”.
As at publishing, The Observer was yet to hear back from the owners to see if they planned to continue the fight to stay or move elsewhere.
Read More: Mission Beach