The honey bee industry is considered as important to Queensland, not only for its annual production of honey and beeswax, but also for improving pollination of high value crops. The DPI has estimated that the industry has a direct impact of around $4 million, whereas the Queensland Beekeepers’ Association has estimated a total farm gate value of over $14 million (including paid pollination services), but with both estimates excluding unpaid pollination benefits. For the purposes of this study, a total value of just over $10 million has been assessed for the direct impact of the industry in Queensland - also excluding unpaid pollination services.

80, 000 commercial hives in Queensland produce (in an average year) 75 kilograms per hive of honey. The Queensland bee industry produces honey, beeswax, honeycomb, queen bee exports and pollination services. The 6000 tonnes of honey produced by Queensland hives each year is valued at $24 million. Beeswax production is estimated at 100 tonnes per year, valued at $450,000. Queen bee exports of 20,000 queen bees at $15 each represent $300,000 to the industry annually.

 

Importing and exporting queen bees and packages

Prior arrangements must be made with:

• Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service42 Qantas Drive, Eagle Farm Q 4009Tel (07) 3246 8755Fax (07) 3246 8798
• DPI&F Beekeeping Sections:
  • Warwick (07) 46616623
  • Nambour (07) 54449613 (Amish Lamb)
  • Gatton (07) 54662216

Beekeeping courses

Information about training in beekeeping is available from:

• University of Queensland, Gatton College, Lawes Q 4343 (07) 54601117
• NSW Department of Agriculture and FisheriesBeekeeping for Business and Pleasure Home Study Program. Secretary, CB Alexander Agricultural College Tocal, Paterson NSW 2421

Labelling and handling honey

• Department of Health GPO Box 48, Brisbane Q 4001 Tel (07) 3234 0938 or your local office
• Office of Fair Trading Trade Measurement Branch, 383 Boundary St, Spring Hill Q 4004or PO Box 507, Spring Hill Q 4004 Tel (07) 3115 1752
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Tel (02) 62712222 email info@foodstandards.gov.au | www.foodstandards.gov.au

Quality assurance

B-QUAL Australia Pty Ltd PO Box R838, Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Tel(02) 9247 1180 Fax (02) 9247 1192

Levies

Levies are paid by anyone packaging and selling more than 300 kg of honey annually. Contact AFFA Honey Levies section 0419 489 507 and AHBIC on (02)9221 0911

Industrial awards

Matters relating to employment of staff are handled by the Workplace Relations section of the Department of Training and Industrial Relations.

• Award rates and conditions (07) 38720550
• Workcover Queensland (workers compensation) (07) 32359500
• Workplace Health and Safety, GPO Box 69, Brisbane Q 4001 (07) 32474725 or 1800 177 717

Registration of beehives

A fee of $11.70 payable to DPI&F must accompany the registration form and be forwarded to DPI&F, LMB 17, Warwick Q 4370 Tel (07) 4661 6604Fax (07) 4661 6666.

For more information on registration please refer to DPI&F Note Beekeeping: Registration, honey testing, apiary sites and marking.

Voluntary honey test

Please note: It is no longer a condition of registration that a honey test for American Foulbrood (AFB) must be submitted.

Apiarists who wish to have their honey tested for AFB can submit a sample as follows:

1. Contact the Warwick DPI&F 13 25 23 or (07) 4661 6604 to arrange for a Honey Sample Advice Sheet to be forwarded.
2. A completed Honey Sample Advice Sheet with payment and a 100 mL honey sample representative of all hives should be mailed toSpecimen Receival Office, Biosecurity Sciences LaboratoryLocked Bag 4, Moorooka Q 4105.
   • Jars are available from DPI&F offices at Beaudesert, Biloela, Bowen Research Station, Bundaberg, Gatton, Goondiwindi, Gympie, Kingaroy, Mackay, Mareeba, Maryborough, Nambour, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Townsville, Warwick and Yeerongpilly.  Alternatively a clean jar will suffice.  Ensure it is well protected for delivery to the laboratory.

Registration of company/business

• Commissioner, Corporate Affairs 231 Turbot Street, Brisbane Q 4001 Tel (07) 3246 1581
• Your local Clerk of the Court

Australian Queen Bee Breeders' Assoc. — Northern Branch

• Chairman, Mr Dennis Kidd PO box 303 Murgon Q Tel (07) 4168 6233Fax (07) 4168 6133
• Secretary, Mrs Paula Dewar MS 461, Lake Moogerah Road, Kalbar Q 4309 Tel (07) 5463 5633 Fax (07) 5463 5619

Beekeeping equipment suppliers

• John L Guilfoyle Pty Ltd 38 Begonia St, Inala Q 4077 Tel (07) 3279 9750 Fax (07) 3279 9753
• Quality Bee Supplies Unit 4B/10 Jijaws St, Sumner Park Q 4074 Tel (07) 3376 5404 Fax (07) 3376 4548
• T Bradford 2283 Mt Nebo Rd, Mt Nebo Q 4520 Tel (07) 3289 8181
• Beeco (Bee Equipment Co) MS 1003 Glen Rd, Warwick Q 4370 Tel (07) 4661 3527
• M Pearce Pty Ltd 83 Odessa St, Granville Q 4650 Tel (07) 4121 5168
• Morayfield Apiaries 27 Oakey Flat Rd, Morayfield Q 4506 Tel(07) 5498 6676 Mob 0427 807 973
• Bees Needs Equipment Unit 4, 33 Nestor Drive, Meadowbrook Q 4131 Tel(07) 3805 7230
• Shippy's Bee Supplies Shed 1, 105 Lobb St, Churchill Q 4305 Tel (07) 3281 5640 Fax (07) 3389 4613
• Tige’s Tilt Tray (reducers, sumps and wax melters) Kreinkes Rd, Gowrie Junction Q 4352 Mob 0407 023 904
• Neal Weston, Zenith Timber Industries 41-53 Greenbank Rd, North Maclean Q 4280 Tel (07) 5546 9777 Fax (07) 3800 2235Mob 0418 730 136
• CB Palmer & C PO Box 298, Ipswich Q 4305 Tel (07) 3201 8118Mob 0417 796 257 www.honeybee.com.au

Beekeeping groups of Queensland

Information supplied by Queensland Beekeepers Association Inc.

Queensland Beekeepers Association Inc. State Branchs

Branch Secretaries:

Capricornia Beekeepers’ Club Inc.

Mackay Region Beekeepers’ Association

Southern Beekeepers’ Association (Qld) Inc. (Toowoomba)

Bee suits

• B J Sherriff, Aust. Distributor: Hornsby Beekeeping Supplies, 63A Hunter Street, Hornsby NSW 2077 (02) 9477 5971
• Bindaree Bee Supplies, 16 James Street, Curtin  ACT  2605 (02) 6281 2111 email bindaree.bee@bigpond.com Web www.bindaree.com.au
• Rhonda-Kay Enterprises, 36 Crestbrook Drive, Caboolture Q 4510 (07) 5495 1547
• Quality Beekeeping Supplies, Unit 4B/10 Jijaws Street, Sumner Park Q 4074 (07) 3376 5404
• CB Palmer & Co, PO Box 298, Ipswich Q 4305 (07) 3201 8118, 0417 796 257 www.honeybee.com.au

Honey buyers and packers

• Capilano Honey Ltd,  399 Archerfield Rd, Richlands Q 4077 (07) 3712 8282, fax (07) 3712 8286; web site www.capilano.com.au 
• Aussie Honey, PO Box 391, Warwick Q 4370 (07) 4661 7833
• Super Bee Honey Factory, Tanawha Tourist Drive, Tanawha Valley Q 4556 (07) 5445 3544
• AB's Honey, Unit 1/4 Christine Place, Capalaba Q 4157 (07) 3206 1200, fax (07) 3206 3549
• K Olley, 84 Logan Road, Clifton Q 4361 (07) 4697 3222 or 041 9793 227
• Bush Honey, Rosalie Waters, 2705 Mt Mee Rd, Ocean View Q 4521 (07) 3425 3883
• Honey Down Under Pty Ltd, Unit 5/17 Tile St, Wacol Q 4076 (07) 3376 1726, 0418 786 158, fax (07) 3376 0017 or warehouse No. 3 Barcoorah St, Westlake Q 4074 (07) 3271 2830
• S Golinelli, North Queensland Honey, 8 Commercial Place, Earlville Q Cairns (07) 4033 0099

Books

The following books are a selection from the wide range available.  Contact beekeeping equipment suppliers for advice on obtaining copies.

• The Bee Book, Warhurst P., Goebel R., DPI&F, Locked Bag 17, Warwick Q 4370 (07) 46616600, (covers all management practices)
• Honey Flora of Queensland, DPI&F, Locked Bag 17 Warwick Q (07) 4661 6600
• Beekeeping in Australia, Bailey F.
• How to Keep Bees and Sell Honey, Kelly W.T.
• The Hive and the Honey Bee, Dadant & Sons
• ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture, AI Root
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Beekeeping, Morse R. and Hooper T.
• Honey, The Workboot Series, Kondinin Group, DPI&F Locked Bag 17 Warwick Q 4370 (07) 4661 6600 (general overview)

Information and advice on beekeeping is also available from DPI&F at the following addresses:

• Peter Warhurst, DPI&F, Locked Bag 17, Warwick Q 4370 (07) 4661 6623, fax (07) 4661 6666
• Hamish Lamb, Maroochy Research Station, PO Box 5083, SCMC Nambour Q 4560 (07) 54449613, fax (07) 54762855  
• Patricia Swift,  Gatton Research Station, LMB 7 Gatton Q 4343 (07) 5466 2216 (07) 5462 3223
• DPI&F Call Centre: phone 13 25 23 (Queensland residents) between 8 am and 6 pm weekdays; non-Queensland residents phone +61 7 3404 6999; email callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au

• Thanks to the DPI&F web site: www.dpi.qld.gov.au  for all the informations concerning Queensland and

  Peter Warhurst, Senior Apiary Officer, Biosecurity Warwick