Benjamin Millar
Woodlea is buzzing with excitement that it will soon be home to thousands of European honey bees.
As part of its ambition to become the country’s healthiest community, Woodlea has partnered with apiarist and Ben’s Bees founder Ben Moore to install and manage five onsite beehives, which will be located near the Kororoit Creek.
Mr Moore said as pollinators, bees are extremely important for the functioning of entire ecosystems.
“European honey bees are more than just honey, they contribute to the massive amount of pollination humans require – one in every three mouthfuls of food we eat has been pollinated by honey bees,” he said.
“There is almost a symbiosis between bees and flowers as they each resonate a frequency; this means the flowers will be bigger and brighter and if fruit or vegetable bearing, the fruit will be bigger and more bountiful.”
One of the main providers of bee hives within Australia, Mr Moore said the community apiary at Woodlea is said to be the first of its kind in residential space.
Woodlea project director Matthew Dean said the community apiary will provide an opportunity to create awareness and education around the importance of bees and the vital role they play within the ecosystem.
“It will also provide a unique opportunity for students of Woodlea’s local primary school who will be able to participate in guided walking tours, as well as watching what goes on inside the hive via a ‘hive cam’ – a camera installed inside one of the beehives to provide a first-hand experience,” he said.
Aintree Primary students have also played a role in painting and decorating the hives as part of their remote learning art class.
Woodlea residents will also have the opportunity to learn about the hives via community days, and will be able to purchase the honey via Aintree Cafe and Garden, a social enterprise café located within the estate.
