Biosecurity Obligations
Qld Regulations
Honey bees produce honey and play a vital role in the balance of nature. Bees are especially important for pollinating agricultural and horticultural crops and the house garden.
Pollination is important for the viability of many pastoral enterprises, market gardens, orchards and seed industries. Honey production is estimated to add $129 million to the Australian agricultural and horticultural industries.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, you must be registered to keep bees. You must also mark your hives with a hive identification number (HIN).
Honey bees produce honey and play a vital role in the balance of nature. Bees are especially important for pollinating agricultural and horticultural crops and the house garden.
Pollination is important for the viability of many pastoral enterprises, market gardens, orchards and seed industries. Honey production is estimated to add $129 million to the Australian agricultural and horticultural industries.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, you must be registered to keep bees. You must also mark your hives with a hive identification number (HIN).
Check with your local government to find local laws that apply to beekeeping in your area. This may include the number of hives that can be kept on a residential property. There are no state laws applying to the number of hives you can place in your backyard. South Burnett Regional Council residents can follow this link: SBRC animals allowed on property
For more information on your biosecuritiy obligations as a Queensland Beekeeper, please refer to the Qld DAF website: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au
The following guide will help you meet the safety standards and minimum requirements of beekeeping in Queensland.
Check with your local government to find local laws that apply to beekeeping in your area. This may include the number of hives that can be kept on a residential property. There are no state laws applying to the number of hives you can place in your backyard. South Burnett Regional Council residents can follow this link: SBRC animals allowed on property
For more information on your biosecuritiy obligations as a Queensland Beekeeper, please refer to the Qld DAF website: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au
The following guide will help you meet the safety standards and minimum requirements of beekeeping in Queensland.
Minimum best practice for Beekeepers in residential areas:
Preventing nuisance bees
Beehives in residential backyards must be managed to ensure bees don’t become a nuisance to neighbours.
Join a beekeeping club
Learn more about beekeeping by joining a local beekeeping club. It will make you a more productive beekeeper and help you better manage bees within urban areas.
Join Barambah Beekeepers Association
Honey bees produce honey and play a vital role in the balance of nature. Bees are especially important for pollinating agricultural and horticultural crops and the house garden.
Pollination is important for the viability of many pastoral enterprises, market gardens, orchards and seed industries. Honey production is estimated to add $129 million to the Australian agricultural and horticultural industries.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, you must be registered to keep bees. You must also mark your hives with a hive identification number (HIN).
Check with your local government to find local laws that apply to beekeeping in your area. This may include the number of hives that can be kept on a residential property. There are no state laws applying to the number of hives you can place in your backyard.
For more information on your biosecuritiy obligations as a Queensland Beekeeper, please refer to the Qld DAF website: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au
The following guide will help you meet the safety standards and minimum requirements of beekeeping in Queensland.
Talk to your neighbours
Before placing hives in your backyard, let your neighbours know you will be keeping bees. Explain how you plan to manage your hives to avoid bees becoming a nuisance.
Manage swarms
Bees may swarm in spring to early summer, and may create a nuisance for your neighbours. If your bees do swarm, it is your responsibility to capture the swarm as soon as possible after it forms a cluster.
Provide your bees with water
Ensure water is available before placing bees in your backyard. Position hives in a sunny place with access to capillary moisture, e.g. wet sand or gravel, the edge of a concrete pond or floating water plants. Bees will be less likely to visit neighbouring backyards or swimming pools looking for moisture.
Use a smoker to assist with handling bees
Smoke can be used to subdue bees, but check fire regulations before using a smoker in residential areas. Noisy machines such as whipper snippers and mowers can upset bees and make them aggressive. It is a good idea to smoke the entrance to the hive before using these devices, or if you know that your neighbour plans to use them.
Provide barriers
Place hive entrances so bees fly across your property rather than directly into a neighbouring property. If this is not possible, provide a barrier to encourage the bees to fly up and over so that they don’t bother neighbours. Barriers can be hedges or shrubs, or shade cloth fixed to a trellis.
Bees are attracted to lights, particularly fluorescent types. Use physical barriers between hive entrances and lights on neighbouring properties.
Robbing and working hives
Avoid working bees when conditions are poor (such as cool or rainy weather) and there is little pollen and nectar available to foraging bees. This places the colony under stress, encourages robbing, and makes bees more aggressive.
Cooperate with neighbours when you need to work the bees. Recommend that they stay inside while you work the bees or work out a mutually convenient time which won’t disturb them.
Need more info?
Check out the Queensland DAF website for further details.