Native Bee's- Full Day Workshop by Bower Bee's Co-op

Outline 

• Hands-on, one-day workshop at Pocket City Farm, Camperdown.

• 6 hours (inc breaks) of practical and theory-based learning focused on native bee’s (stingless) care, hive management and propagation.

• Learn how to site, care for, move, monitor and propagate a native bee colony.

• Get hands-on experience opening, assessing and splitting native bee hives under expert supervision.

•  Your hive is supplied, built from reclaim timber as part of the workshop.

• By the end of the day, you will take home your own hive with a native bee colony.

• Join the Bower Bee Co-op and return your hive annually for a supervised split that helps train the next cohort.

• No previous experience needed. Adults 18+.

What you'll take home

By the end of the workshop, each participant will take home:

• Their own native bee hive, made from reclaimed materials.

• A live native bee colony housed in the hive.

• Bower Bee Co-op handbook.

• Hive installation and monitoring checklist.

• Guidance on placement, heat protection and ant management.

• Practical experience opening, assessing and splitting native bee hives.

• Membership in the Bower Bee Co-op and participation in the annual hive split program.

The workshop is designed so that participants leave with both the knowledge and confidence to care for their colony, as well as their own established hive to continue learning from at home.

Bower Bee Co-op - how it works

The Bower Bee Co-op is designed to build both community knowledge and healthy native bee populations.

As part of the workshop, participants receive their own hive and native bee colony to foster at home.

By joining the Co-op, participants agree to:

• Care for their native bee colony using the techniques taught during the workshop.

• Provide appropriate placement, shade, heat protection and ant management.

• Monitor the hive and report significant changes or concerns.

• Avoid unnecessary disturbance or excessive honey harvesting.

• Let The Bower know before relocating the hive.

• Follow appropriate biosecurity and ethical native bee management practices.

• Optional returning the hive annually for a supervised split and training day.

Healthy colonies may be split during future Co-op workshops to create new colonies for incoming participants.

You receive your hive back following the annual split.

The Bower provides training, supporting resources, ongoing advice and coordination of the annual split program.

What's included

• Your own native bee hive.

• A live native bee colony to take home at the end of the workshop.

• Established training colonies for practical demonstrations and supervised splitting.

• All specialist equipment required for hive inspections and splitting.

• Six hours of theory and practical instruction.

• Bower Bee Co-op handbook.

• Installation, monitoring and record-keeping templates.

• Ongoing connection with the Bower Bee Co-op.

FAQs

Will I take bees home?

Yes.

By the end of the workshop, you will take home your own native bee hive with a live colony.

A major part of the day is learning how to care for, monitor and manage your hive so you feel confident taking responsibility for the colony at home.

Do I need to build my hive?

No. Your hive is supplied as part of the workshop.

Removing the hive-building component allows us to spend the full day focusing on native bee biology, hive care, troubleshooting and hands-on splitting.

Will we actually open and split bee hives?

Yes. Hive inspection and splitting are major practical components of the workshop.

Participants will work with established colonies under supervision and learn how to assess and propagate a healthy hive.

All splitting activities are dependent on colony health and suitable seasonal conditions.