At the 2023 Royal Easter Show in Sydney, NSW, I helped on the NSW Aprists Association (NSWAA) honey stand alongside fellow NSWAA members in April. 

It was a tremendous two-day session for me, meeting the public, working the retail side of the honey industry, learning from the NSWAA stand team the changes in the commercial beekeeping industry and most importantly, discussing the challenges affecting the bee industry with Varroa mite on our shores.

On my right is Victor Croker, CEO of HiveIQ – Australia’s newest beekeeping platform, which launched its first products at the 4th Bee Congress in Sydney in June 2022. On my left are James and Laurie Kershaw, commercial beekeepers from Southern NSW.

I met not just beekeepers but many people interested in bees. The show stand was flatstrap for the three days I was there. As you can see from the sign behind me, everything was just about sold out. Oddly – the first product to sell out was the creamed honey. Hmm…note to self – think about making more creamed honey.