Events

Upcoming

AGM & August Yarra Valley Bee Group Meeting
Aug
30
AGM & August Yarra Valley Bee Group Meeting
ECOSS
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Annual General Meeting of the Yarra Valley Bee Group will be held in person on 31st August 2025 beginning at 1.30pm. 1.30 AGM  2pm - Monthly meeting - Please bring a plate of food to share :)   Speaker - Graham from Buzzbee.   August is here, and winter is starting to ease across many parts of Australia. As the days slowly get warmer, your bees may begin to show early signs of increased activity as colonies prepare for the season ahead. This is a great time to start checking food stores, preparing your equipment, and planning your first full hive inspections once temperatures are consistently warm enough. To help your bees transition smoothly from winter into spring, Graham will be talking to us about his August hive tasks to support your hive as the season begins to change.   In preparation for the AGM meeting, please view the following: AGM Minutes 2025 Agenda Committee Nomination Form Proxy form Financial Report Presidents Report All are welcome to attend the AGM. However, only financial members are entitled to vote.  If you are unsure of your financial status, please email us to check at yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com Questions on notice in writing from members will be accepted by the Secretary up until 2 days prior to the meeting. Please email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com Do you love your Bee Group? Do you want it to continue? Then we need your help! To allow this great club of ours to continue, we need nominations for the Office Bearers for the YVBG Committee.  You don't need to be an experienced beekeeper to nominate for these roles. Whether you're a Newbee or an Oldie, we'll look after you!  Like any club, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. However, the more help we have, the more we can grow. Please join our friendly and focused committee so that together we can help our YVBG group thrive.  Click here for position descriptions or go ahead and fill out a Committee Nomination Form. Please return to us no later than Friday 29th August. Positions are also available for the General committee. Examples of how you could help as a general committee member: Help to coordinate our presence at public events  Monthly meeting and speaker coordination  Membership Coordination Want to talk to someone before committing? Feel free to email us on yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated.  Please bring a plate of food to share :)
September YV Bee Group Meeting
Sep
27
September YV Bee Group Meeting
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Whats happening in my hive?  Topics to be confirmed. Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
October YVBG Meeting
Oct
25
October YVBG Meeting
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Whats happening in my hive?  Topics to be confirmed. Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
November YVBG Meeting
Nov
29
November YVBG Meeting
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Whats happening in my hive?  Topics to be confirmed. Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 

Past events

July YV Bee Group Meeting
Jul
26
Past Event
July YV Bee Group Meeting
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Whats happening in my hive?  Followed by a discussion about our clubs new purchase - The Varroa Controller We’re excited to share that YVBG has purchased a Varroa Controller, proudly funded through our Bendigo Bank community grant. At this meeting we’ll walk members through how the "Big Yellow Box" works, how we’ll make it available for club use, the booking process, and the responsibilities involved. This marks an important new phase for our group — giving members another practical, chemical‑free tool in the fight against Varroa and supporting healthier bees across the valley. Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
Mead Making Workshop Sunday July 5th 2026
Jul
05
Past Event
Mead Making Workshop Sunday July 5th 2026
Yarra Valley ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
In 2025 the club facilitated two very successful Mead making workshops. If you missed out , here is your opportunity to become a mead-maker Details of the workshop are: Sunday 5th July, 2pm-4pm In our usual meeting room "The Coop" at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Rd Wesburn 3799 Cost - $150 per person Cost includes: - Initial workshop 5th July, and 2 follow up sessions TBA. [Timing of later sessions for decanting and bottling depends on fermentation progress, but will be on Sundays @ 2pm] - 2 x 5 litre glass demijohns, with swing clip, silicone bung and airlock. [one for decanting the brew at the second workshop] - 1.6 kg honey - all required yeast, fruit, spices, yeast nutrients, - Ph adjustment with decanting [racking] at the second workshop.  - 12 x 375 ml clear glass wine bottles with stelvin closures, to be filled at the third workshop. [Ideal for entering one into the Lilydale Show in November!] - Printed notes and recipe for "Joe's Ancient Orange Mead", so you can make any following batches at your leisure. *This is a members only event, with numbers limited to 5 to ensure individual attention. So get in quick! Enquiries - Greg Huggins  0414 673 592 hello@yarravalleybeegroup.tidymail.co    
June YV Bee Group Meeting - innovation behind the Thermosolar beehive
Jun
28
Past Event
June YV Bee Group Meeting - innovation behind the Thermosolar beehive
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Speaker followed by Whats happening in my hive?  Speaker - Paul Kucera, CEO of Apis Innovation, located in the Czech Republic. Discover the innovation behind the Thermosolar beehive, engineered to support healthier, more resilient colonies. Paul is currently visiting Australia and has kindly agreed to come and speak to us about this invention. He will explain how the thermosolar's controlled heat treatment raises brood temperatures to levels that disrupt Varroa mites without harming the bees, offering an effective, chemical‑free approach to hive health. Learn why this hive is gaining attention among beekeepers worldwide who are focused on sustainable, bee‑centred management and who want to care for their bees without using chemicals. Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
May YVBG Meeting - VarroaMate - Smart Varroa management for Australian beekeepers
May
31
Past Event
May YVBG Meeting - VarroaMate - Smart Varroa management for Australian beekeepers
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Whats happening in my hive?  Followed by our Speaker - Bernhard Dichtl VarroaMate - Smart Varroa management for Australian beekeepers The arrival of Varroa in Victoria is fundamentally changing the way we are keeping bees. Beekeepers need to learn heaps about mites (and bees), how the two interact throughout the season and how treatments work. All of this can be quite overwhelming. To support beekeepers on this perilous journey, Yarra Valley Bee Group members Nena and Bernhard set out to design a WORLD FIRST digital tool: VarroaMate. VarroaMate works in any web-browser on desktop, tablet and phone and it supports you when you are dealing with the following questions: How do I record alcohol wash counts and what do those mean? What treatments are available? How do I know that my treatment works as it should? When do I treat and which treatment works best and in which season? How will my treatment impact bees and mites and the hive? How often do I treat to get my bees through the year? How can I establish a treatment plan for the season? – or, in case you already have a plan – how effective is my plan and can I improve it? VarroaMate enables you to give your hives the best chance to thrive. At the meeting the numerous functions of VarroaMate will be demonstrated. In case that you would like to have a look beforehand go to varroamate.com and set up an account. Basic functionality for up to 3 hives is absolutely free! ---------------- Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
April YV Bee Group Meeting
Apr
26
Past Event
April YV Bee Group Meeting
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Speaker - The Basin Backyard Followed by Whats happening in my Hive? - Bring your questions about preparing for Winter packdown. Speaker - The Basin Backyard is a small family business founded by Mike and his wife. They have been beekeepers since 2011 and have loads of hands on experience with over 150 beehives various locations throughout The Dandenongs, Eltham and Gippsland. At their shop in Knoxfiled they are authorised flow resellers as well as the HiveIQ and the Micro honey harvester. On Sunday, as part of his presentation, Mike will bring a HiveIQ and talk about the benefits of these hives, as well as demonstrate the Micro Honey Harvester. Join us and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
March YV Bee Group Meeting - Managing Varroa with Oxalic Acid
Mar
29
Past Event
March YV Bee Group Meeting - Managing Varroa with Oxalic Acid
ECOSS
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
1.30 for a 2pm start 2pm - Whats happening in my hive?  Followed by our speaker - Graham Abrey from Buzzbee Beekeeping. An in-depth discussion and demonstration on the use of oxalic acid in managing varroa. Many beekeepers are interested in using non-synthetic (organic) treatments in their hives.  Graham will be talking about varroa treatment options with a specific focus around the available Oxalic acid options available, the different types of Oxalic acid treatment products, the way that they are administered, the safety measures & precautions that are taken when using the products and the pros & cons of each. Graham will also have with him various items of equipment beekeepers use when administering the various treatments. Come along with all your questions and leave with a sense of confidence that managing varroa IS possible and with the  right education, knowing what to expect and knowing what best practice is, we can maintain our hives with happy bees & look forward to some exciting times ahead! Non members are welcome too. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Gold coin donation appreciated. 
View all 121 past events