The 4th Australian Bee Congress: Celebrating Honey Bees at the Heart of a Healthy Australia

The 4th Australian Bee Congress: Celebrating Honey Bees at the Heart of a Healthy Australia. Registration is now open for the 4th Australian Bee Congress, to be held at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney from 8-11 June 2022. Proudly hosted by the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, this year’s congress is particularly auspicious, as it coincides with the 200th anniversary of the successful introduction of the honey to Australia. The Congress Organising Committee has been working hard to make this a memorable event for professional and recreational beekeepers alike, as well as others from a broader agricultural background. Since the last hugely successful Congress in 2018, we have had to contend with bushfires, floods and a pandemic, but beekeepers and the beekeeping industry - the very cornerstone of Australian agriculture - remains passionate and steadfast and continues to succeed despite mounting challenges. The 4th Australian Bee Congress represents an opportunity, not only to celebrate the historic arrival of honey bees in Australia, but also for the beekeeping community to come together and learn about the latest advances in beekeeping. The Congress will feature an extensive tradeshow, which will showcase the latest equipment, technologies and information. In addition, an array of special guest speakers will talk about cutting-edge approaches and the latest science on keeping bees healthy. The program is currently being finalised, but two guest speakers have already been confirmed. Dr Nural Cokcetin is a Research Fellow at the ithree institute of the University of Technology, Sydney. Nural’s research focuses on understanding the relationship between bees, the environment and medicinal honey, and aims to support the apiary industry, pollination and human health. She is preeminent in the field of medicinal honey, having previously investigated the antibacterial effect of honey against ‘superbugs’ and demonstrated the prebiotic potential of Australian honeys. Nural is currently engaged in a variety of research projects concerned with the bioactive properties of honey and has attracted a high level of funding and industry engagement, as well as having received numerous awards for research impact and excellence. The second speaker confirmed for the 4th Australian Bee Congress is Emeritus Professor Ben Oldroyd, of the University of Sydney. Having originally obtained a degree in Agriculture, Ben completed a PhD on bee behaviour in 1984. Since then, he has researched the genetics of honey bees and the evolution of social behaviour. He is intimately involved with the Australian beekeeping industry and is helping our beekeepers breed heathier strains of bees.   He has authored more than 300 scientific papers on bees, as well as the authoritative book Asian Honey Bees: Biology, Conservation and Human Interactions, and is currently Chair of the Honey Bee and Pollination advisory Committee of Agrifutures. The 4th Australian Bee Congress will also feature social events including a reception, a beekeeper breakfast, a harbour cruise and the Congress Dinner. Naturally, a raft of COVID-19 policies is in place to minimize risk to all attendees. If you are passionate about Australian bees, or have anything to do with the beekeeping industry, don’t miss the 4th Australian Bee Congress from 8-11 June 2022 at Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens. For further information including program updates, registration and accommodation visit  https://australianbeecongress.com.au/registration/