Parkdale Secondary College student Zara Bakkalis starts Beenies Australia to help save bees

Bees can be a source of fear and allergic reactions, but a Dingley Village Year 10 student’s school project has turned into a serious mission to help save the precious Australian insect from dying out.

Parkdale Secondary School student Zara Bakkalis is setting up a business selling beanies to help save bees. Picture: Josie Hayden

Zara Bakkalis wants to bee the change.

The Dingley Village 15-year-old is starting her own business, with a plan to donate 20 per cent of the profits to beekeeping and conservation organisations.

She is currently raising money via Go Fund Me to kickstart her business — Beenies Australia.

“To begin with I’ll sell beanies and stickers and hopefully branch out into hoodies and other apparel in the future,” Zara said.

The Parkdale Secondary College Year 10 student came up with the idea while working on an assignment for VCE Business Management.

“We had to create our own business as part of Unit 1 and that’s what I decided on,” she said.

“After the assignment was done I thought ‘why not have a go at doing it for real?’.”

Zara said the business would also give her a chance to do something to help the planet.

“I not only want to start a business, but I want to do my part to help out the environment, and specifically the bees.

“Due to bees playing such a pivotal yet often overlooked role in our natural environment, my goal is to help support the research surrounding them and their conservation.”

She said a recent decision to spray parts of the Mornington Peninsula with pesticides was a prime example of the importance of bees being ignored.

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The region is being sprayed with synthetic pyrethroid (SP) pesticide — likened to “industrial-strength Mortein” as part of a mosquito control program being trialled as part of the ongoing battle against the Buruli ulcer.

“That is a big concern,” Zara said.

“I know the aim is to get rid of the mosquitoes but the bees will also be killed.

“The Mornington Peninsula is known for its produce and beautiful nature walks and we will lose all of that if we kill off the bees.”