With more than 20 years of beekeeping experience, Kade is embracing a new challenge, managing the Wheen Bee Foundation’s Research Apiary, a resource for universities and research institutes, with 25 hives at North Richmond in the NSW Hawkesbury region.  

 

Kade grew up on a farm in Tasmania learning first-hand the skills of beekeeping from his grandfather, who managed more than 1,000 hives.  

 

“My passion for bees came from Grandfather, he was my mentor growing up,” Kade says. Despite more than two decades in the beekeeping industry, Kade says his interest in bees is endless. 

 

“Bees are fascinating, from the way they collect pollen to how they store and create honey, there’s always something new to discover.” 

 

Kade developed a love for bees and the connection with nature that beekeeping provides. He moved from Tasmania to Sydney to work in the horticulture industry as a landscaper, and brought his love of bees with him, managing 50 of his own hives.  

 

Now, as the Wheen Bee Foundation’s Research Apiary Manager, Kade is excited to work in a new setting and help support vital research that benefits bees. 

 

“As Research Apiary Manager I am looking forward to working with different researchers, experiencing a different side of beekeeping and continuing to learn more about bees,” Kade says.  

 

The Wheen Bee Foundation Research Apiary at North Richmond is on the property that was once the home of the Foundation’s benefactor, Gretchen Wheen.  

 

The Research Apiary is available to researchers and organisations to study pests, diseases and other issues that affect bees. The findings improve scientific understanding of bees and help tailor strategies to improve bee health and welfare. 

 

A new Research Apiary Technical Advisory Committee has been appointed to lead the Wheen Bee Foundation’s Research Apiary and support the Research Apiary Manager and researchers who engage with the resource.  

 

Find out more about the Wheen Bee Foundation’s Research Apiary at www.wheenbeefoundation.org.au/our-work/research-projects/research-apiary/