A little bit of history

The ABA was founded in 1954 by Colonel Guy Harris Pulling in Turramurra. By 1961, with many members spread across Sydney, an offshoot formed as Illawarra Beekeepers in Sutherland.

Over subsequent years, beekeepers in the Hunter Valley, Macarthur, Nepean, Central Coast, Parramatta, Northern Rivers and other areas established their own ‘branches’.

After the Association Incorporation Act 1984 came into effect to address issues that organisations in general encountered with, for instance, property, liability, disputes and creditors, the ABA registered as an association. Gradually, all clubs obtained their
independent incorporation as separate legal bodies. As a result, from a legal perspective, local groups are no longer branches of the ABA. The ABA constitution refers to “affiliated clubs” instead.

The current system

Since 1962 the ABA operated with a council of club representatives acting as the
governing body between the Annual General Meetings of members. However, at the 2019 AGM in Richmond members voted to adopt a new constitution to better suit the fast-growing organisation. (At that time the ABA had 25 affiliated clubs and over 2800 members, having grown from from seven clubs and 279 members in 2011.)

A committee, voted in by ABA members, now has the authority to run the organisation and make timely decisions in the best interests of ABA members. The current constitution is predominantly aligned to the Model Constitution created under the Incorporated Associations Regulation, with some adjustments to address the relationship between the ABA and its affiliated clubs.

For example

  • in order to become a member of the ABA, an individual must be a member of an affiliated club requiring the payment of ABA membership fees

  • an affiliated club must have objects and rules similar to and supportive of the ABA, and have a financial year the same as the ABA

  • the affiliated club must ensure its ordinary membership confers on the member ABA
    membership and requires the payment of the ABA membership fee in addition to any club fee

  • a club must have at least 10 members who will become ABA members on affiliation

  • an affiliated club must appoint a member of the management committee as a membership officer.

In 2022 members voted to the business name Amateur Beekeepers Australia to recognise the growing membership outside of NSW. The association remains registered in NSW as The Amateur Beekeepers’ Association of NSW Inc.

Benefits for all

This structure allows clubs to be legally and financially independent of the ABA and vice versa. Committees of affiliated clubs are obliged to follow their clubs’ constitutions and are
accountable to their members. Similarly, the committee of the ABA is obliged to adhere to the ABA constitution and act in the interests of ABA members.

The ABA committee can support and provide advice to affiliated clubs, but will generally not interfere in club internal issues unless specifically requested by that club.

Some of the services the ABA provides to affiliated clubs:

  • a centralised membership register

  • an IT platform to streamline admin tasks

  • collecting club membership fees on their behalf

  • free accounting software

  • insurance cover

  • educational and support services

  • grants to established and newly established clubs

  • distribution of club newsletters to members

Some of the services the ABA provides to individual members:

Benefits provided by affiliated clubs to members may include:

  • club information meetings and apiary days

  • social events

  • equipment to borrow (extractors, wiring boards, honey presses)

  • newsletters

  • social media groups

  • library of books and magazines