Coming from a family of beekeepers, I have always been fascinated with the art and process of the honey hive, as well as the growing threat to bees from a changing climate. From record-breaking droughts to devastating bush fires, Australian beekeepers have been hit hard this past decade. Paradoxically, led by UNESCO and Angelina Jolie, there has been an increasing global focus on female beekeepers as a path to empowerment and sustainability.

Originally made as a contribution to the Young Farmers Connect Publication, this project shines a light on five female-run apiaries and the challenges they have faced; as well as the strong link between motherhood and the hive. Below is a taster of the series; the full story and images can be found in the Young Farmers Connect 2021 Publication, and has been featured at the Photo Oxford Festival.

I wish to Acknowledge the Bundjalung Nation, on which this project took place, as well as the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia. I pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Carolina
Miele D’oro

Carolina is the one-woman powerhouse behind Miele D’olo ('honey of gold’). Located in the beautiful Tweed Valley, Carolina manages 43 hives independently, harvesting award-winning honey and handcrafting botanical skincare from her home-studio.

Kathleen & Wendy
Naturally Nimbin Farm

Wendy and Kathleen are the mother-daughter duo behind Naturally Nimbin Farm, which operates on their beautiful property in the Nimbin Valley. Over the past five years the family have grown their hives from 1 to 50; remaining dedicated to a 100% flower-fed, pesticide-free operation.

Tammy Gardner
The Raw Bee Co

Tammy and her partner, Mitch, run The Raw Bee Co in Yamba with the support of their three sons. The family have almost 100 hives which produce a seasonal variety of honey, as well as candles and moisturizer exclusively from the Clarence Valley region.

Alanda Young

I visited Alandas property on a crisp winter's morning and it was nothing short of magical. Their self-built home sits on land that has been in her partner's family for 30 years. It is here, snuggled between citrus trees, where her wild hive lives in harmony with her chickens.

Kat & Hope Australia’s Manuka

Kat and her partner, Michael, began their beekeeping journey with just a few hobby-hives in the coastal forests of the Northern Rivers. Now, a quarter of a century later, the family-run operation has over 900 hives and exports their medicinal honey all over the world.