Australian Parliament House’s head beekeeper visits Geelong next month to present a special event on integrating bees into city spaces.
Environmental scientist, public servant and author Cormac Farrell will share his expertise in urban beekeeping, native bees and sustainable hive management at the Geelong Masonic Hall in Belmont on Friday, September 19.
Presented by Geelong Beekeepers Club, the Ask a Beekeeper event will begin at 7pm, with Mr Farrell giving a 40-minute presentation before opening the floor for a Q&A session.
Mr Farrell said the positive impacts of urban beekeeping went beyond the obvious benefits of honey and pollination.
“One of the things I’m going to be focusing on is the latest research around urban ecology and using urban gardens to support not just bees, but a whole lot of other species,” he said.
“There’s a huge amount that people can do in their backyards and that communities can do working together.
“These small spaces that we find within cities have turned out to be incredibly effective…at increasing the function of the urban estate.”
Club president Nathan Whitford said Mr Farrell’s presentation would appeal to a wide audience, including environmental advocates, hobbyist beekeepers, gardeners and food producers.
“As president, I’ve made it a priority to attract leading voices in beekeeping to speak at our club,” Mr Whitford said.
“Cormac and I discussed the opportunity some months ago, we’re absolutely thrilled to welcome him to Geelong – not just to promote his book, but to explore why bees belong in places like Parliament House and how urban environments can support thriving colonies.”
Entry is free to club members and by gold coin donation for non-members.
