15/06/2026
Far North beekeeper sounds alarm as Varroa threat reshapes industry
Monday 15 June 2026. Local honey packer and beekeepers from Honey Providore are changing the way that they do business.
“The deadly Varroa Mite is on its way, and our focus will change to look after our bees,” said Beekeeper Graham Thornton.
“The team at Honey Providore are calling on all levels of Government, communities, policymakers and industry leaders to do more in the fight against the deadly Varroa mite,” said Mr Thornton.
Australia’s Beekeeping Industry is on a precipice since the arrival of Varroa Mite, a new incursion into Queensland, which is chemical-resistant.
To borrow a few words from his fellow beekeepers in South East Queensland,
Mr Thornton said Australia's beekeeping industry is hurting.
“For many outside our industry, the arrival of Varroa mite may seem like a problem affecting bees alone. For those of us living it every day, the reality is far more confronting.
“Varroa is affecting businesses, families, livelihoods, food production and the future of pollination in Australia.”
According to Mr Thornton, Australia was the last major honey-producing nation in the world to remain free of Varroa mite.
“Today, Australian beekeepers are being forced to adapt to a challenge that other countries have spent decades learning to manage.
“Across the country, colonies now require constant monitoring and treatment simply to survive. What was once a relatively low-intervention industry has become a relentless battle against a pest that has devastated honey bee populations worldwide.
“The warning signs are already here.”
Australia is home to more than 47,000 registered beekeepers and approximately 855,000 managed honey bee hives. Together, these bees support not only honey production but also the pollination services that underpin much of Australian agriculture.
Industry surveys conducted between 2024 and 2026 show the growing pressure being placed on beekeepers as they adapt to managing Varroa. AgriFutures Australia reports that beekeepers in affected regions spend an average of more than 390 additional hours each year managing and treating their colonies. That is the equivalent of more than ten weeks of full-time work dedicated solely to keeping bees alive.
At the same time, operating costs continue to rise, production is declining, and hive losses are mounting.
But behind every statistic is a beekeeper, a family business and a story of loss.
“Don’t be surprised if you start seeing more imported fruits and vegetables at the supermarkets over the next few years”, he said.
“Talking to fellow beekeepers in SEQ this week, the numbers are devastating, beekeepers are seeing 80 to 90 per cent losses in colonies, with many saying the new Varroa incursion has brought a new virus into Australia, and if we don’t prepare for that, our bees won’t survive.
“The importance of bees and pollination cannot be underestimated, the continued growth of agriculture on the Atherton Tablelands, it’s not just about honey, it’s about providing a valuable pollination service to growers, so that they can continue to provide food for our communities, blueberries, Macadamias, Avocados, Melons, Pumpkins and Mangoes on the Atherton Tablelands are but a few crops locally that may be affected.
“Our operation will condense to our Atherton facility, and our shop front facility in Bungalow will close, and be replaced by a “Mobile Beekeeping Shop” to continue to support local hobbyist beekeepers and our honey lovers that buy honey direct from a beekeeper.”
Honey Providore continues to supply Local Raw Honey to Woolworths Supermarkets in Cairns and Townsville, as well as many other Local and Independent stores across Far North Queensland under their Sweet Buzz Honey label.
“We are calling on the beekeeping community and honey lovers to talk to your local members, movers and shakers, to appeal to the government for assistance to the industry. Don’t let imported Honey be the new normal.
“Cheap imported honey, unlike Australian honey, contains corn and other syrups, which, in effect, is devaluing our product, and most of the time, it’s not real honey.”
Eat Raw Honey, Save Our Bees… is a new brand initiative created to drive support for honey, not just for its packaging and production value.
“The raw honey movement is gaining momentum - promoting a natural product with health and wellbeing qualities such as being zero per cent fat, anti-microbial and additive-free.
“We want consumers to obtain a deeper sense of value that they are supporting a local bee population and obtaining added health benefits from the product – and in so doing, encourage word-of-mouth participation and a groundswell of support for the brand.
“The take-home message being given is that local beekeepers need your support, supporting your local beekeeper and local packer and only buying Australian Honey.”
