Townsville and District Beekeepers Association will leave you buzzing
The sound of buzzing bees is almost like a melodic harmony as they buzz about their daily duties at Townsville and District Beekeepers Association.
Townsville
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MICK Olsen cannot imagine his life without bees.
The president of the Townsville and District Beekeepers Association began his love affair with bees at eight years old.
“My parents’ friend had bees on their block when I was a kid and I would assist him with his hives and extracting honey on weekends around Lake Macquarie, NSW,” he said.
Dressed head to toe in protective clothing and standing beside a beehive at his Jensen property, Mr Olsen said he cultivated his own honey, called River Junction, and loved tasting the different strains his bees produced.
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“Beekeeping is highly addictive as you cannot stop at one hive and the honey produced from the same hive will taste different from each extraction due to what is blooming around your local area,” he said.
The retired military engineer feels a duty to contribute to the natural progression of the food chain by keeping bees.
“I personally would encourage people to keep bees whether they are honey bees or native bees for pollination,” he said.
“I do it for this reason and if I can help the bees in some small way than I feel good as a human.”
Mr Olsen and other Townsville beekeepers also get a buzz out of talking about their love of the hobby and encouraging others to get involved.
“The club offers mentoring services to new beekeepers where we can assist them in the correct set-up to the purchase of their first bees,” he said.
“We attend local schools and give talks on bees as sustainability is a part of the curriculum these days, which I think is awesome.”
The club also takes biosecurity seriously and keeps its members informed about the threats that bees face in the North.
“There are diseases and pests that are prevalent for bees here in Townsville,” Mr Olsen said.
“We work very closely with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland in assisting them and educating our members to help identify and minimise the spread of disease.”
Contact: Mick Olsen
Contact number: 0415 215 595
E-mail: info@beesnorth.com.au
Address: Hermit Park State School, Mckimmin Road, Hermit Park
When: 3rd Sunday of the month
Membership: $25
Originally published as Townsville and District Beekeepers Association will leave you buzzing