9am - 4pm, Saturday 14 October

Tocal College, Tocal Road, Paterson NSW

The Tocal Beekeepers Field Day has been running for 38 years, and is run by the ABA, NSW Apiarists Association, Department of Primary Industry and Tocal College.

As well as practical demonstrations of hiving a swarm, opening a native stingless hive, and building frames and boxes, there will be talks by talks throughout the day on subjects as diverse as Pollination and Medicinal Honey.

Admission is free, and the public are welcome, so come along and meet the beekeepers!

Guest Speakers

Beekeeping around the world

Bruce White has been keeping bees for well over 60 years. Since his retirement as Principal Apiary Officer with the DPI, he has continued to work untiringly to pass on his extensive beekeeping knowledge.

Honey bee pollination

Dr Doug Somerville is the technical specialist for honeybees within the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). Dr Somerville has worked with honeybees in the DPI for over 25 years. Research publications in this role have included topics on pollination, supplementary feeding bees, honeybee nutrition, small hive beetle, bee collected pollens and floral resources

Beekeeping courses,
Qualifications and Traineeships

Elizabeth Frost is Honeybee Educator at Tocal College. She is particularly interested in queen bee breeding, and she is the author of the DPI AgGuide on Queen Bee Breeding.

Small Hive Beetle research

NSW Bee Biosecurity Officer

As NSW Bee Biosecurity Officer, Rod Burke is part of a joint industry–government initiative to look after Australia's honey bees. Her responsibilities include raising awareness of honeybee pests and diseases, and demonstrating best practice beekeeping, as well as promoting the National Bee Biosecurity Code of Practice.