Getting the buzz on backyard beekeeping

Renowned beekeeper and industry expert, Bruce White OAM will be back in Mudgee in August for another beekeeping course.

Are you interested in learning about bees, or perhaps having your own hive but don’t know where to start?

The Mudgee Bee Group will be hosting the Backyard Beekeeping course and invite novice and experienced beekeepers, as well as people interested in starting up their first hives, to attended.

A retired apiary officer from the NSW Department of Agriculture and a hobby beekeeper, Mr White became fascinated with bees when he was in primary school. He got his first hive when he was 13 years old and now boasts over 60 years beekeeping experience.

Mr White has extensive knowledge of rural beekeeping and frequently delivers courses for the Local Land Services and the Amateur Beekeepers Association. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2011 for his service to the beekeeping industry.

The 2 day course will cover topics such as protective clothing, hive design, hive management, biosecurity, honey extraction and a whole lot more in a hands-on practical weekend.

The Mudgee Bee Group’s community hives will be available for participants to practise on and gain confidence in handling bees.

The course will be held on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August at the Straw Bale Shed , Australian Rural Education Centre (AREC).

Cost is $275 per person and includes course notes, lunch and morning tea on both days. A discount rate of $180 is available for Watershed Landcare and Mudgee Bee Group financial members.

Numbers are strictly limited and you must pay in full to secure your spot. If you’d like to participate send an expressions of interest to Claudia Wythes, Watershed Landcare Coordinator, on 0412 011 064 or claudia.wythes@watershedlandcare.com.au.

The Mudgee Bee Group and Watershed Landcare would like to acknowledge support from AREC, for hosting the Mudgee Bee Group hives and providing a venue for meetings and the course.

This event is supported by Watershed Landcare and is a part of the NSW Government’s Local Landcare Coordinators Initiative, supported through the partnership of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW.