Beekeeping on public land

To keep bee hives (an Apiary) on public land in NSW you must hold a permit or license to do so from the government agency that manages the land.

In line with the new policy framework for apiary sites on public land, we are now standardising how permits are issued across all agencies so that sites are allocated following an expression of interest from beekeepers. This will make the system easier and fairer for all beekeepers wanting to access public land.

We are carrying out a pilot to test the expression of interest allocation process to allocate a limited number of sites.

Find out more on how to participate in the pilot.

In the meantime, public land managers will continue to issue permits to beekeepers for sites not covered by the pilot.

Contacts

If you want to seek permission to keep bees on public land, you can contact the main public agencies listed below.

Forestry Corporation of NSW

Forestry Corporation NSW manage the majority of public forestry areas that are not in National Parks or Reserves. Current information about Apiary permits is on the Forestry Corporation Permits page.

For East Coast Forests contact Kim Drysdale, Public Information Officer
Phone: 02 6585 3744
Email: kim.drysdale@fcnsw.com.au

For Western NSW Forests contact Kirrily Cain, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 02 6841 4214
Email: kirrily.cain@fcnsw.com.au

Local Land Services

The Local Land Services (LLS) manage travelling stock routes (TSR’s) and other crown land which may be suitable for beekeeping sites. Contact your local LLS regional office for your apiary contact.

Table 1: Local Land Services regional offices

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

NPWS parks and reserves have very limited potential for new apiary sites in accordance with their beekeeping policy. Apiary enquiries can be referred to park.businesses@environment.nsw.gov.au.