TAMBORINE
My beekeeping journey on Tamborine started when I saw a post on Facebook from a lady looking for gardens for her bees. That’s how I got my first hives here. I started with someone else’s hives in my garden, then bought my first two colonies. I split them into three, added a few more until I had nine, and eventually grew to over 100 hives across the Scenic Rim and Logan regions. I’ve spent years watching the bees, learning their patterns, and following where they fly. This experience has given me a real connection to the land and the bees, and it’s where I first “got” honey.
(Blue Sticker)
BOONAH
The honey from Boonah is particularly special to me. I worked on a farm there, where Mr Greg Hamilton — a well-known hydraulics designer whom I respect greatly. Together we bought 16 hives, this was eight each. I split mine straight away and ended up with sixteen. Sadly Greg Hamilton passed away but I continued to manage Greg's hives to keep the hives producing honey. These hives are more than just bees; they carry a connection to Greg Hamilton. Every jar of Boonah honey carries a piece of that story — in a way, he’s still “there” with the bees. That’s why this honey has a meaning beyond the flavor.
(Orange Sticker)
BEECHMONT
Honey from the Low Beechmont area is at Eden Seeds HQ it carries the distinct character of its lush hinterland environment, where bees forage among an abundance of native flora. The region’s cool mountain air and fertile valleys provide ideal conditions for flowering trees and plants such as eucalyptus, silky oak, bottlebrush, and a variety of wildflowers. With rainforests, woodlands, and pockets of farmland all within reach, the bees gather a unique blend of nectars, producing a honey that is as vibrant and varied as the hinterlands itself
(Green Sticker)
CANUNGRA
Honey from Canungra reflects the warm valleys and rolling hills that surround this charming Scenic Rim township. Here, bees thrive among stands of flowering gums, native wattles, tea trees, and the many seasonal blossoms that flourish along creek lines and open pastures. This diversity of flora gives Canungra honey a golden hue and a naturally smooth flavour, often carrying soft floral tones with a hint of the bushland’s earthiness, resulting in a honey that captures the easy, sunlit character of the valley and the richness of its natural surrounds
(Yellow Sticker)
From Plumber to Beekeeper
I’ve always wanted to make something of my own. My mum knew I liked taking things apart. I didn’t always put them back together, though. I also always wanted a small farm. I came to Australia to save money and go back to England. That didn’t happen. I ended up buying a property here. And now, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. At first, I was very homesick. Walking around Witches Falls in the cold reminded me of home. Slowly, the area started to feel friendly.
I spent four years working as a plumber and a gas fitter in Beenleigh. Then I quit. I did hands-on work for a while — gardening home maintenance and making biochar.
I got into bees after seeing a post on Facebook. Someone wanted gardens for thier bees. That’s how it started. I began with someone else’s hives in my garden. Then I bought my first two colonies. I split them into three, added a few more until I had nine. Eventually, I grew to around 100 hives.
I’ve spent years watching them. Seeing where they fly. What they do. Somewhere along the way, curiosity became passion. I finally “got it.”
Farming a 15 degrees slope here has its ups and downs — literally and figuratively. Permaculture has taught me to care for the land. And in return, it gives back, including the honey. I’m building something of my own here with my lovely wife Yvette. Step by step. Hill by hill. And sharing it with anyone who wants to taste it.