BICWA

The Bee Industry Council of Western Australia (BICWA) supports WA’s bee industry, producers, and related organisations by providing leadership, advocating on their behalf, and actively contributing to policy development and planning.

Words Kate Byrne, Chair, BICWA

A season of plenty, a time for preparednessa

THE summer and autumn seasons have wrapped up beautifully, with an abundance of flowers and nectar across the landscape. This included a welcome Jarrah flow — never guaranteed from Western Australia’s endemic trees — alongside the more reliable Marri, finishing with widespread Banksia nectar. As we now move into the early days of winter, the focus shifts to preparing hives for the colder months ahead. This seasonal transition also brings a timely reminder of the importance of regular hive inspections and vigilance.

With this in mind, this year’s April Bee Pest Blitz has gained encouraging traction in the media. Following participation rates of around 9% of Western Australia’s approximately 4,000 registered beekeepers in 2024, and a drop to 5.2% in 2025, we are hopeful to see a stronger level of engagement this year and to surpass last year’s result.

Regular hive inspections throughout the year are the most effective way to detect issues early and ensure WA maintains its varroa-mitefree status, protects our premium honey reputation, and safeguards essential pollination services.

Importantly, ensuring all hives, commercial and hobby, are registered is a legal requirement in WA and a simple step every beekeeper can take so they can be contacted quickly if an exotic pest or disease is detected. For more information go to: www.dpird.wa.gov.au/businesses/ beekeeping/pests-and-diseases-in-honey-bees

Swift action prevents biosecurity risk to WA beekeeping

A serious biosecurity risk arose in February, when a pollination contractor planned to bring used bee equipment into WA for bee procurement ahead of the SA pollination season in June. Thanks to the swift action and collaboration of BICWA and key industry stakeholders, the shipment did not proceed. However, the situation highlighted opportunities to improve the current

Biosecurity and Agricultural Management regulations. BICWA quickly engaged with the Minister’s Office, who promptly requested a review. As the last large commercial beekeeping zone in the world free from Varroa, maintaining our enviable biosecurity status remains BICWA’s highest priority.

Federal Varroa investigation disappointing

The recently released federal government report into how Varroa mite entered Australia has failed to deliver the answers industry has waited almost four years to receive. The report into the investigation, known as Operation Decker, does not identify how or when the mite entered the country.

This is particularly concerning for WA where we still have a genuine chance to remain Varroa free and enjoy the many benefits and opportunities that brings. To understand the entry point of the eastern state’s incursion allows WA to better target biosecurity efforts.

BICWA distributed a media release to keep pressure on the federal and state governments which can be found on the BICWA website www.bicwa.com.au/news.

The media release also includes a link to the federal enquiry report.

Recent highlights

BICWA Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030

BICWA officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025–2030 at the Beekeeper Sundowner event held on 17 April at The House of Honey. BICWA Chair, Kate Byrne, highlighted the three key pillars of focus, along with the organisation’s operational priorities The document is available on our website: www.bicwa.com.au/strategic-plan

House of Honey Sundowner; Christine Spycher, BICWA Secretary.

Meetings and advocacy

BICWA remains committed to the following key priorities:

• Government engagement: Ongoing discussions with the Minister’s office, DPIRD, and DAFF are focused on strengthening border security measures, developing an online traceability system to enhance WA’s bee biosecurity and maintain varroa and other bee-pest -free status

• Agricultural Produce Commission, (APC), Beekeepers Producers Committee: has lodged its annual fee-for service funding proposals focused on industry development and biosecurity project delivery.

Looking ahead

Strengthening biosecurity and preventing the entry of pests and diseases such as Varroa mite into Western Australia remains an absolute priority. The industry is committed to investing resources to support these efforts, particularly through early detection initiatives such as the BeeSentry unit. The BeeSentry unit is an early-detection monitoring device placed at key entry points such as ports and freight routes like the Nullarbor to help detect bee pests and diseases early to protect WA’s biosecurity.

In summary

BICWA continues to support WA’s bee industry through advocacy, strategic initiatives, and industry engagement. With a strong season underway and a skilled, enthusiastic team, BICWA remains focused on resilience, readiness, and growth, while connecting with members through events and ongoing engagement.

More information Contact shannon.holt@dpird.wa.gov.au