The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has announced a 20-year extension to rules allowing beekeeping in national parks after legislative amendments were agreed.
In a statement, the Department said amendments to the Nature Conservation Act would formally extend beekeeping permits until 2044 in certain national parks that were created as part of the South East Queensland Forest Agreement in 1999.
The DAF said under the current Act, apiarists were required to transition out of national parks by the end of 2024, however, successive Queensland Governments and the industry had been unable to find suitable alternative honey sites for beekeeping.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development, Mark Furner said beekeepers had warned that their industry would be severely impacted if alternative sites for their hives could not be located between now and 2024.
“Beekeeping services are a lynchpin for Queensland’s multi-billion-dollar fruit and vegetable growing industry, with pollination services playing a critical role in each season’s crop,” Mr Furner said.
“This is an important decision, as the ability of the industry may be impacted if alternative sites could not be located between now and 2024.”
He said amending the Act would support the continuation of beekeeping in certain national parks while the Department worked with the industry and other key stakeholders to identify alternative sites for relocation.
Around 75 per cent of the beekeeping industry clusters around Wide Bay Burnett, Gympie, the Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba and Scenic Rim areas.
