Early transport of bee hives, 1830s to the 1930s

Around a decade ago I came across a journalists comment that early beekeepers did
not move their hives long distances until modern style road transport became available
around the 1930s. This inaccurate claim was made in ignorance of the bulk transport
of hives by sailing ship between colonies as early as 1837; their trickle export on steam
ships in the 1840s; migratory beekeeping using motor lorries as early as 1911;
relocating whole apiaries by steamship in 1915; and large-scale movement of hives
by rail from established apiaries in NSW such as Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains in
1896 to Woodburn on the Richmond River. In the following Ive attempted to provide
interesting examples to demonstrate the early mass movement of bee hives around
Australia.

1837, 60 hives shipped from Hobart to Sydney, Tas. & NSW

From the Sydney Mail, 26 May 1937, in a series of articles titled - Things That
Happened Here One Hundred Years Ago. A GENTLEMAN, named Clayton, has just
imported from Hobart Town about fifty or sixty hives of healthy bees which are well
worth inspection. Some of the hives contain at least five thousand of these little
industrious tenants. The importer has already established the rearing of Bees in Van
Diemen's Land [and] wishes to introduce them here The Bees may be seen as per
advertisement. (p.45)
John Clayton was an ex-convict who went on to become, along with his ex-convict
brother Joseph, Australias first colonial beekeeping entrepreneurs, who operated in
Van Diemens Land in the early 19th Century. John operated in Hobart certainly
between 1834 and 1838 and Joseph in 1837-38, centred about Launceston.

A 1937 artists impression of an 1837 cargo of bees

Sydney Mail, 26 May 1937
The hives were shipped from Hobart to Sydney aboard the Marian Watson, then
advertised as a fast sailing Packet Brigatine. Johns Sydney bee hive export venture
was a protracted affair and the hives, originally offered at 5 guineas each did not shift
as fast as he would have wished. On sale from 16 May 1837 some sixteen remained
unsold at the end of September when they were offered for auction.
1841, Hives to Port Phillip from Van Diemens Land, Vic. & Tas.
The Imports section of Melbournes Port Phillip Gazette, Sat. 25 Dec. 1841, lists the
arrival of 4 bee hives, Robertson aboard Benjamin Boyds paddle steamer Seahorse
from Sydney on 22 December. (p.2) One of the fourteen in-cabin passengers included
a Mr. Robertson. It seems he was accompanying his Sydney sourced bee hives to
Port Phillip.

Seahorse steam packet, i Oswald Brierly, ca. 1842

The Seahorse was a wooden paddle steamer of 439 gross tons, 156 feet 6 inches
(47.7m) long and 22 feet 8 inches (6.9m) broad. At June 1840 Benjamin Boyd was its
owner, used by him for the coastal trade, namely between Sydney and Melbourne
(Port Phillip Bay), as well as occasional trips to Hobart Town. ii

Benjamin Boyd (no date) iii

In H.P. Wellings (1936) Benjamin Boyd in Australia (1842-1849 Common to most
shipping concerns, a house flag is used to distinguish vessels more readily as between
various owners; Benjamin Boyd had his own particular design of flag, and in this he
exhibited a unique play upon his own name. Using two honey bees to represent the
initial letters of his name, his flag was of white ground with two honey bees depicted
in blue. Thus the steam ship which transported 10 hives of bees from Hobart to
Port Phillip was appropriately flagged.

Top mast black and white segment of the painting of the Seahorse
by Oswald Brierly, clearly showing the two bees house flag
Recorded in the South Australian Register, 21 Oct. 1843 That little insect the bee, is
becoming as prolific and industrious in Port Phillip as it has been found to be in other
portions of the globe. A few years since some of Mr Claytons famous swarms were
imported from Van Diemen's Land, and have been found to succeed admirably on the
Darebin and Merri Creeks. (p.3)
One beekeeper at Merri Creek was J.H.H Spencer. The following advertisement
appeared in the Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser, 4 Nov. 1841 Bees for
Sale. ELEVEN hives of bees selected in Launceston by Mr. Spencer. 1 They can be
seen on application to Mr. Scholfield, near the Builder's Arms, Little Collins-street,
Melbourne. (p.1) The departure of Spencers hives from Launceston was listed in the
Shipping List of the Launceston Advertiser, 21 Oct. 1841 (p.4), 1 chest apparel, 10
hives bees being on the manifest under his name. His voyage with three other
passengers aboard the schooner Dusty Miller of 90 tons, under Sanders, its master,
was listed departing Launceston for Port Phillip, on 18 October.

1885, by boat or by land using a vehicle with springs, Vic

In ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS in THE BEE KEEPER column of Melbournes
Leader newspaper, 24 Jan. 1885, lies the common-sense appreciation of how one
method of the early land transport of hives was performed Removing Hives. If you
find that a better bee pasture than your own exists within a moderate distance, you
ought certainly to move your bees to It. In England bees are conveyed to the moors
distances of 20 miles and upwards in spring carts, and much further by rail and
steamboat. You have only to strap the hives safely to the cart and stop the openings
of the hives so that the bees cannot escape, using perforated zinc for the sake of
ventilation. It is advisable to remove well filled frames or top boxes before removal.
(p.13)
In the Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 3 July 1886, J.T.s Beekeeping
column offered a long article of almost 1100 words on REMOVING COLONIES: Many
persons would doubtless increase their stocks by purchase, if it were not for the trouble

1
J.H.H Spencer, beekeeper of Merri Creek in the Port Phillip region
of removing them to the desired location. [one] may have the opportunity of
purchasing colonies to start a small apiary, but are deterred, from the trouble and
inconvenience of getting delivery of them.
About the easiest and best way to start an apiary is to purchase a few colonies in old
gin cases or boxes, and, after removing them home, to transfer them with their combs
to frame-hives. Now, to remove a colony in an ordinary box or gin case may seem
to an inexperienced person to be a difficult undertaking. But, apart from the labour of
removing them, it is but a simple process.
All that is required is to provide yourself with some thin strips of wood, some nails, and
some thin material such as mosquito netting, or cheese-cloth, or what is, I think, better
than either, an old chaff bag or two ripped down on one side. With these materials to
hand, get a smoker and blow a good strong puff of smoke in at the entrance of the
hive to quiet the bees. Invert the hive quickly and place it on its back on the ground;
give the bees another good smoking to drive them down among the combs; without
losing any time, throw the piece of covering, netting, or bag over the hive to confine
the bees; get the thin strips of wood, which should have been previously cut the right
length for the sides and ends of the box, and nail them down firmly on the top of the
cloth with light nails that can be easily withdrawn again.
A strip should be nailed down on the top of each end and side, and every hole and
crevice should be tightly closed, leaving only the embouchere or mouth entrance.
When all is performed quickly, get a pair of scissors and cut the cloth round close to
the sides of the hive. Now turn the hive up again and put it into its old place, leaving
the mouth entrance open until night. Proceed in this way with any others. The whole
thing can be done quickly and expeditiously. The bees will not have time to get hostile,
for the operation will not take five minutes if all is in readiness beforehand. At night,
when all the working bees have returned home, go round and quietly close up the
entrance of the hives, and then you will have the bees safely secured, and they can
be removed then, or left till the next, morning.
Bees put up this way can be taken almost anywhere during the next day. If near water,
a boat is the best conveyance; if by land, a vehicle with springs, to prevent sudden
jarring, which may fracture the combs. Bees may be transported hundreds of miles by
railway quite safely if properly secured. Always in shifting them, the hives should be
on their backs, as in this position the combs are not liable to become detached.
When removed home they should be placed on the stand where it is desired they shall
remain. The covering material should, of course, be removed. The hives should be left
undisturbed for a week or two until they have settled thoroughly before transferring
them to frame-hives. It is always found that bees transported to a new home work
more briskly and energetically for the change. (p.20)
 Taking salt to sheep on "Moorabinda" by horse drawn spring cart.
The horse was "Toby" - Tenterfield, NSW
State Library of NSW

1889, dangers in small scale movement of bees by spring cart,

Qld
In the Australian experience small scale movement of hives was often made over
shorter distances using a spring cart, but not always without incident. From Brisbanes
The Week, 30 Mar. 1889 (p.13) Busy Bees. On Wednesday, 20th instant, as Mr.
Robert Cribb, jun., was conveying several hires of bees along the Milton road in a
spring cart, one of the bees escaped, and alighting on the horse, paid that animal close
attention. The horse, not appreciating the compliment, commenced bucking and
plunging, and ultimately capsized the cart, the hives falling to the ground and
smashing. The confined bees, irate possibly at the jolting and knocking about,
immediately availed themselves of the opportunity to escape and investigate matters.

Fixing on the horse in a cloud, they soon placed him hors de combat, while the driver,
after an ineffectual attempt to cut him loose and get him to move on, had to run for
home, where he is said to have arrived with bee stings sticking over his face like a
week's growth of beard. The bees for some time held the roadway against all
comers. One horseman, who scorned such little matters when warned, and who
attempted to go through them, subsequently returned at a more rapid rate than he
went, quite convinced that unity even of little things meant strength.

1889, another accident in moving bees by spring cart, Qld

Another case of moving bees by spring cart comes from The Brisbane Courier, 18
Nov. 1889 (p.3) under the heading BEES ATTACKING A HORSE AT OXLEY CREEK.
Mr. Lyons, the well-known beekeeper at Oxley, near Brisbane, called at our office a
short time ago and gave some information which he thinks may be useful to others,
who, as was the case with himself, unfortunately may have their horses attacked by
bees. It seems that he was moving some hives of bees to a second apiary he is forming
on Oxley Creek, several miles distant from his present one, and for this purpose
utilised his spring cart and horse. On arriving at his destination, and after unloading
the cart, he left the horse still harnessed to it, but several yards away from the hives.
The entrance wire to the first hive to be opened was no sooner removed than the bees,
as is their wont after being confined, rushed out in a body and a few of them made
straight for the horse.

Louis Pooles milk cans on their way to the ABC cheese factory aboard a spring cart
in 1910. The load could equally have been bee hives.
Photograph by William Henry Corkhill, National Library of Australia
Mr. Lyons went at once to the rescue and got hold of the bridle, but seeing that in order
to get out of the fence surrounding the garden he would have to pass close to the
angered hive, he led the horse, now getting frantic, as far as the garden fence would
allow in the opposite direction. The bees, however, followed and attacked the horse,
more especially about the head and neck. Escape was now impossible, but Mr. Lyons,
although himself hatless and unprotected by any veil, stuck to the bridle, and tried his
best by smashing the bees immediately they settled on the horse to save the
frightened and tormented animal from some stings.
But the scent of the poison was so strong in the air that more and more bees came to
take the place of the slaughtered victims. Suddenly the thought of water occurred to
Mr. Lyons, and be called out to his lad to bring a bucketful. This was quickly done, and
poured over the head, neck, and body of the horse. This immediately caused a
temporary cessation of the attacks on the horse, but the air was full of angry bees, and
they now vented their ire on the man and his plucky young assistant. However, the
short truce allowed the horse's harness to be quickly undone, and the horse led away,
another bucket of water thrown over him again relieving him of many of his attendant
torturers.
Mr. Lyons then led the poor stung horse, whose head and neck were already swelled
to an abnormal size down to the creek, and for two hours kept constantly pouring
buckets of water over the head and throat; he also picked out all the stings he could
find. This treatment, Mr. Lyons considered, saved the horse's life, otherwise the throat
would have swelled to a degree that would have caused suffocation. The horse
evidently appreciated the constant application of the cool water. Mr. Lyons, thoroughly
inoculated with bee-poison as he is, informs us that he was so badly stung as to feel
quite ill the next day. He is of opinion that the water, when first dashed over the horse,
not only disconcerted the attacking bees but also to a great extent destroyed the smell
of the bee-poison on the horse. All bee-keepers can detect this smell, even when
perhaps only one sting has been inflicted, and know also how quickly it rouses the ire
of other bees. The instruction to be drawn from this incident is that a bucketful of water
is a good thing to have close at hand when bees are likely to be irritable. -
Queenslander.

1894, by wagon 35 miles or by rail car

One American experience available for copying by Australian beekeepers was
published in Rockhamptons Morning Bulletin, 5 Oct. 1894, part of the detailed
instruction was as follows: If the weather is very warm while the bees are in transit,
and they gather on the wire gauze, they may smother; a halt should be taken and
buckets of cold water dashed over them. Previous to moving, the frames should be
secured so that they may not jostle together.
If the weather should be warm, put on the second storey above the brood-nest with
little or no division between them, and nail them together so that no jarring by the
wheels going into deep ruts will part them. A friend moved bees thirty-five miles in this
way. The hives should be loaded on the wagon so that the frames shall be crosswise
of it for safety; the wagon should be loaded before any horses are attached to it. When
the destination is reached put them where they are to remain, and leave them a short
time until quiet is restored, and then remove the wire screen quietly. The same
principle is involved as when bees are moved by [rail] wagon; they should be prepared
in the same way; but when put into the car there should be this difference: The frames
should be lengthwise of the car, in lieu of crosswise as in a wagon. The hives should
be packed securely together with straw. (p.3)
The reason for the crosswise placement in a wagon or motor lorry is explained in The
Apiary column of Queenslands Warwick Daily News, 27 Aug. 1938. For road
travelling, hives should be packed on the motor truck so that the top-bars of the frames
are parallel with the axle, as the combs resist the side rocking of the vehicle much
better in that position. (p.9)

1896, apiary relocated from Glenbrook, Blue Mountains, to the

Richmond River, NSW
From the Nepean Times in Penrith, 25 July 1896 The Blue Mountain Bee Farm is no
more, Mr. Shallard having removed the whole of his hives to the Richmond River,
where he has established a new farm. (p.3) Such a move would have required shifting
his bees locally by wagon to Glenbrook Station, then 50 klms back to Strathfield so as
ato gain access to the northern line, some shunting then on to the Richmond River, a
road distance today of round 690 klms
 Shallards bee farm, Glenbrook, ca. 1886

.
Major Adolphus Shallard 2

1898, via a six horse lorry on springs to 90 miles distant

From the BEE CULTURE column in the Launceston Examiner, 1 Oct. 1898 (p.12) the
Californian experience in moving bees was touched on: Among the minor rural
industries which other countries find it profitable to pursue, but which has succeeded
in meeting with only partial attention in these colonies hitherto, is that of bee culture.
In California, as we learn from an article in the Revue Encyclopedique, it is being
prosecuted with the utmost satisfactory results, and under peculiar circumstances.

2
Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 29 July 1893 (p.227)
As flowers differ materially in their honey secreting functions, and in the quality of what
they secrete, some yielding a greater quantity of prismatic [crystalized], and others of
liquid sugar, and as they bloom at different periods of the year, the Californian bee-
master shifts his hives from district to district, according to the season and to the
habitat of the flowers in which the bees find the richest pasture. As this cannot be
brought to the bees, these are transported to where their food is most plentiful; and as
soon as this is exhausted in one region the hives are removed to another. Sometimes
the locality is as much 90 miles distant from the home of the bee-master. A six-
horse lorry on springs serves to transport the hives from place to place; but in spite of
the utmost care there is a considerable destruction of bee life, owing to the jolting.

Robert Mathews and son carting oats on a wagon pulled by six horses,
Brimpaen, Western Victoria, ca. 1890-1919

1902 Whether it is intended to travel by rail or road NSW

The Colac Herald, 21 Nov. 1902, advice was provided on PURCHASING AND
MOVING BEES. The best time to purchase bees is the spring or autumn (writes E. E.
Sanbach in the "Journal of Agriculture.") If the swarm is in a skep or box cover with
an open cloth and carry mouth downwards. Stocks in bar frame hives should be
well packed before removal, which may take place when the temperature will not
interfere with the stability of the combs. There is always an element of risk and some
difficulty in packing stocks securely for a journey, but with care, they should travel
safely any distance. Jarring disturbs the bees, causing them to generate high
temperature, which increases the liability of a breakdown. April or September are by
far the best and safest months. After the weather has prevented long flights they may
be moved at any time when the distance is above half a mile.
The effect of the excitement caused by moving in April is a beneficial stimulant. When
disturbed earlier, the unnatural temperature caused is injurious. Bees when excited fill
themselves with honey. This occurs under confinement; when liberated they fly, and
after many erratic movements, if the temperature is low, fall to the ground chilled and
die. The results of such losses in the early part of the year cannot be estimated, as
the brood in its different stages Is entirely dependent upon the warmth being
maintained. A week or two later makes all the difference, as the hatching of the young
bees reduces this risk to a minimum.
The inexpert should remember that in all methods of transit the ends of the combs
should face the direction in which they are going, so that if the combs are fitted with
metal ends it is impossible for them to bump against each other and crush the bees
between them. Before removing bar-frame hives it is necessary to place a piece of
open sacking or cheese-cloth over the frames in lieu of the quilt for ventilation, then
fasten with screws a strip of wood 2 inches wide along the whole of the bar ends on
each side of the body box. This, if properly done, will make the bars perfectly rigid. All
the hive parts must then be fastened so that they cannot move.
Nails are objectionable for the purpose, as they necessitate the use of a hammer to
drive the nails, irritating the bees and probably breaking the combs. Old wired combs
travel better than new ones. The closing of the entrance with a strip of perforated zinc
completes the work of packing.
Whether it is intended to travel by rail or road, it is advisable to pad the bottom of the
hive legs with straw to lessen the vibration. On arrival at destination, place them in the
desired position, and allow them to settle before releasing them. A day or two
afterwards careful examination should be made to ascertain whether the combs or
queens have sustained any injury. (p.6)

1905 A tent and trolly and horses nearby S.Aust

Mount Gambier Royal Mail trolly, 1910 3

In Adelaides Chronicle, 8 Apr. 1905, in an article on the Upper Valley of the Torrens,
I located this item: Between Gumeracha 4 and Mount Pleasant bee farming is being
undertaken on an extensive scale. At one spot there were hundreds of beehives. A
tent and trolly and horses nearby indicated that the bees were being shifted from place
to place. The advantage to be gained by this practice is that the busy little workers
are enabled to store a lot of honey by being taken from one district to another just at

3
https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+39434
4
A town in the Adelaide Hills
the time of the year when the trees and shrubs are in full bloom in those particular
localities. Other movable apiaries were observed, and, in addition, a large number of
hives were in fixed situations. (p.8)

1909, The itinerating beekeeper, who carries his colonies on a

trolly S.Aust
Adelaides Register for 16 July 1909, made mention of the itinerating beekeeper:
"There are now in South Australia many men who make a substantial living entirely
out of beekeeping, and in addition employ numbers of helpers during the busy season.
Landowners in many cases are glad to allow a beekeeper to put his hives on their
properties during the season when the gum trees in their district are in flower, knowing
that the bees, by pollenizing the blooms, improve the crops of the field and garden.
The itinerating beekeeper, who carries his colonies on a trolly from a district in which
the honey supply is worked out to one where the trees are in bloom, is a familiar figure
in most country places. By the means just mentioned, the apiarist is enabled to take
full advantage of the magnificent climate of this State in keeping his bees gathering
honey practically the whole year round. ..." (p.7)

1910, I loaded a trolly with about 100 full hives S.Aust

Part of a longer tale extracted from Adelaides Register, 29 Aug. 1910, was subtitled
A Lively Time: I loaded a trolly one evening with about 100 full hives, and told two
of my boys to drive them about 12 miles away, and there unload them, as the place
was more favourable for the bees to gather. Before they readied the spot, however,
some of the little creatures escaped from the hives, and by the time the journey's end
was reached hundreds of them were flying about as wild as they could be.
With a few stings to accelerate their movements, the lads immediately unharnessed
the horses. This is the first thing to do when bees are about, otherwise, if the horses
are stung, they plunge about as though mad, and generally something has to go. Then
an attempt was made to unload the trolly, but by this time the air was full of savage
bees. They literally charged the unfortunate boys and drove them into the scrub. ...
(p.7)

1911, an Albion motor lorry with a load of bees, S.Aust

From Adelaides Chronicle, 6 May 1911 In these days of labor troubles business men
in all callings are looking with interest for time and labor-saving devices, and perhaps
one of the greatest factors in this direction is the Commercial 'Motor Lorry.' The motor
in all its phases has reduced distance to a remarkable degree, but the most important
of all its triumphs is the quick transport for goods where there are no railways. Our
illustration in this issue shows the 'Albion' Motor Lorry of two-ton capacity, loaded with
104 hives of bees, weighing 2 tons 17 cwt., 5 which were taken from Golden Gate
Mine, near Angaston, to Blackwood recently by Mr. S. A. Hannaford, of Kenton Valley.
This journey was accomplished in a few hours, which under the system of horse
traction of a year or two ago would have taken days.

5
2.9 metric tons
 A 2 ton Albion motor lorry loaded with 104 hives of bees, weighing 2.9 tons
Many mother remarkable trips have been recorded of the Motor Trolly, and this same
vehicle has more than once made a double return trip from Mr. Hannaford's 6
Hatchland Farm, at Kenton Valley, to the Port Adelaide Produce Depot in one day,
whereas a single trip with horses used to occupy 18 hours. (p.30)

1912 the term migratory beekeeping in print, NSW

The earliest reference to the term migratory beekeeping in an Australian newspaper
I could find appeared in Sydneys The Farmer and Settler, 2 July 1912 (p.7). This was
an extract from an earlier article in Victorias Journal of Agriculture, written by F.R.
Beuhne, the Victorian Governments bee expert.

1913 the terrible power of bees if by some accident NSW

A long technical instruction on transferring bees appeared in the Wollondilly Press, 14
May 1913. The dangers of moving bees by horse drawn vehicles or by rail was also
covered. "To the man in the street, the moving hives of bees from one locality to
another may appear a very simple business, only requiring the confinement of the
bees within the hives, while on the Journey. But to the beekeeper, moving is a period
of worry from the time of starting on the journey till they arrive at their destination. For
does he not know, will I say, the terrible power of the bees, when, by an accident,
either by road or on rail, numbers of them should escape.

6
George Hannaford (1852-1927), of Cudlee Creek in the Adelaide Hills, presumably a relative,
developed the Gipsy Apiary of several hundred hives. Ernest Hayler, eldest surviving son of
George and Bertha's three sons and three daughters, was born in 1879 at Manna Hill and,
after private tuition, ran his father's large bee-farm at Bonney Flat near Mount Crawford. He
then bought The Briars at Millbrook where he also maintained 360 colonies of bees, yielding
ten tons of honey annually adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hannaford-george-6552
If horses are being used, and the escaped bees commence stinging a serious accident
might result before the horses are clear of the vehicle. If, again, the bees are in a
railway truck, attached to the rear of a passenger train, and by some accident a
number of bees are released at a railway station, imagine what a trouble they would
be. There would be at once a panic among passengers and officials and probably a
delay to the train, while the truck of bees was removed. (p.3)

1915, 80 hives by motor lorry and the steamer Rupara, S.Aust

In Adelaides The Express and Telegraph, 7 Apr. 1915 It is ticklish work moving bees
unless those engaged in it understand how to deal with the little honey-gatherers. If
they do not they stand a pretty good chance of finding out what stings mean. At Port
Adelaide on Tuesday a motor lorry drew up near the steamer Rupara with about 80
full hives to be shipped for Port Lincoln. As the hives were transferred from the lorry
to the wharf and then on to the upper deck of the steamer many of the bees escaped.
One or two of the wharf laborers handled the boxes as if they were ordinary cargo, but
as the bees had been well fed with sweetened water the workmen escaped with a few
stings only. (p.1)

the steamer Rupara

Adelaides Register reported the incident of the same day with a little more verve.
Stevedores and bees. Visitors who stroll along the wharfs of Port Adelaide find in the
labour of tie brawny stevedores upon a busy day a source of never-ending interest. It
is wonderful what a variety of goods is handled and how expert the lumpers become
in manipulating the diverse merchandise that comes their way. They deal with
packages varying from the size of huge machinery to small cases of glass, and
livestock from the obstinate and resolute mule to the humble but decidedly revengeful
bee. People in the vicinity of the Adelaide Steamship Company's wharf about 4 o'clock
on Tuesday afternoon witnessed a somewhat curious spectacle during the loading of
the steamer Rupara.
 A motor lorry, Jenolan Caves, NSW, 1916 7
Up forward a frisky pony was being shipped, and aft 80 hives full of bees were being
taken on board to augment a newly formed farm at Port Lincoln. The industrious
insects had apparently been well fed with sweetened honey, and were not in an
aggressive mood. Occasionally, however, a stevedore was noticed making vain
endeavours to remove a tenacious bee from the back of his neck, or knock a too
attentive honey-maker from his wrist.
The men from the motor lorry which brought the consignment were wise. They covered
their faces with muslin, and so escaped, but the lumpers never troubled to find such
protection, and handled the buzzing hives with nonchalance, passing them up from
the wharf to be stowed upon the upper stern deck. Taking the transaction as a whole,
the operations were most successful, for the majority of the workers escaped un-stung.
One, however the boss stevedore will have cause to remember the work, for a
bee made straight for his neck, thence penetrated down his back, and left decided
marks between his victim's shoulder-blades. Truly, what with crushed fingers, kicking
mules and ponies, and stinging bees the lumpers' life is exciting." (p.4)
The Port Adelaide News, 19 Mar. 1915, put the record straight. This same lot of bees
had not been on a one-way voyage to Port Lincoln but were sent there to work a honey
flow. Under the heading Migratory Bees the following story was told: A sight which
might have been seen in Port Adelaide, but which nevertheless few people have
noticed, is the shipping of bees from Port Adelaide. On Tuesday afternoon a motor
piled high with beehives passed over Robinson's Bridge. They had been brought down
from Port Lincoln some time ago, honey being finished in that district, and had been
since busily at work at Blumberg. Now they were on their return to Port Lincoln by the
Rupara. Many were watching the unloading, expecting the wharf laborers to be

7
trove.nla.gov.au/version/47912887, State Library NSW
attacked by many bees which were flying around the hives loose, but they seemed
quite unconcerned, and the task was completed without mishap. (p.4)
The steamer Rupara of 1,368 gross tons was 230' 2" long, 36' 2" wide and 13' 7" deep;
[70m x 11m x 4m] a steel single screw steamship, designed for the Spencer Gulf trade,
from the Adelaide - Eyre Peninsular town of Port Lincoln in an express passenger
service. She regularly steamed from Port Lincoln, across the Spencer Gulf to
Wallaroo, and returning to Port Adelaide via Port Lincoln; capable of 102 passengers,
72 first class and 30 second class. iv

1917, a practical and reliable one-ton truck

In the Manilla Express, 21 Apr. 1917, an advertisement appeared for a practical and
reliable one-ton truck, at less than the price of a team of horses by "REDDEN" Truck-
Makers. No representative display of motor cars would be possible that did not include
the famous "Cadillac," which has enjoyed a record throughout Australia tor
reliableness, where the heavy and masterful sort of work has to be faced. Country
dwellers well know the capabilities of the "Cadillac," which has, for years, been doing
splendid transport work on the great squattages and over the great high roads, in the
carrying of passengers and luggage.
The "Cadillac" makers have won many trophies for unique improvements, and, to-day,
the eight-cylinder "Cadillac" here shown is very high perfection. Beautifully sprung,
with ample clearance, and a superb engine, whose eight cylinders give great flexibility,
and with such equipment as self-starting and self-lighting, and ample provision against
wet and cold, the "Cadillac" may be designated a "royal" car. Redden truck-maker
converts a "Ford" chassis, new or used, into a practical and reliable one-ton truck, at
less than the price of a team of horses.
It consists of a solid steel truck axle, with adjustable radius rods, truck springs, truck
wheels, truck tyres, and truck frame. It slides over and bolts through the Ford frame,
thus reinforcing it to a point far beyond the strain you will ever put on it, and at the
same tune transfers the loud to the truck axle, with its artillery wheels and solid tyres.
it provides an efficient, thoroughly tried out delivery vehicle for less than half the
cost of an ordinary ton truck, and about one-half the maintenance cost. It has been
tried out in actual service by hundreds of merchants in various-lines of business, and
from every source comes the same report of better delivery service at less expense.
(p.11)
 One ton of men or bees!

1918, hives relocated overnight on a wagonette, Moliagul, Vic

A single horse lorry

Perths Western Mail, 31 Oct. 1903 (p.28)
From The Bendigo Independent, 6 Apr 1918, reported on Harry Roberts, a pioneer
beekeeper at Rheola near Moliagul, central Victoria. He secures his hives at night
time The hives are then placed in a waggonette before sunrise next morning and
are moved to the new situation, perhaps miles away. The bees soon learn the
geography of the new site or range, and business becomes as brisk as usual. (p.2)

1919, E.E. Abram shifted his entire apiary from Beecroft to

Queanbeyan, thence to Berrima, NSW
From Bowral's The Southern Mail, 28 Sept. 1920 "Wilhelm Abram's son, E,E. Abram,
became sole proprietor of his father's apiary following the latter's death. A severe
drought in 1919 which "wrought havoc among the bees, some apiaries being
practically wiped out" induced him to shift "all his bees to Queanbeyan ... there being
some flower throughout the district."
"By continually shifting from one place to another, it was possible to save the bees
from destruction, and also to obviate the heavy cost of feeding to the apiarist. ... As
Beecroft is becoming more and more a residential suburb, Mr. Abram found it
necessary to choose another district ... Berrima was his choice and Mr Abram has now
the whole apiary and plant moved to that centre. ..." (p.2)
Such bulk movement of bees must have entailed the combined use local road
transport to a rail station, thence by rail for the longer haul. Rail access became
available to Beecroft in 1886 when a line was opened between Strathfield 8 and
Hornsby. Berrima missed out on a rail connection but nearby Moss Vale 9 had its
station opened in late 1867.

1919, 70 hives railed 400 miles to Pallamallawa, NSW

In Sydneys Farmer and Settler, 7 Feb. 1919, under the heading Moving a Hive of
Bees. Successful train journey to Pallamallawa from Lapstone. Bees Setting to Work:
Mr. Warry. who will be known to many as the demonstrator in beekeeping for the
N.S.W. Department of Agriculture, has resigned his position under the government,
and has made a start on his own account, with an apiary back among the prickly pear
and wild pigs at Pallamallawa. Mr. Warry is a son-in-law of that veteran bee-keeper.
Mr. W. Hessell Hall, who made the young folks a present of seventy-four hives of bees
and paid all expenses for their removal from the Lapstone apiary to Pallamallawa.
The bees were packed in a louvred van at Penrith and attached to the North West mail
at Central Station. The distance by rail to Binniguy, 10 which is the nearest railway town
to Pallamallawa, 11 is about 400 miles; the bees arrived there in good order, and were
quickly unloaded on to a wagon with a horse team to take them the remaining fifteen
miles. Casualties happened on the wagon, four hives suffering from the wear and tear
of the journey. Pallamallawa was reached before night, however, and next morning

8
Strathfield to Queanbeyan is 272 road klms
9
9.5 klms
10
700 klms by rail from Sydney
11
From Wikipedia: Pallamallawa or "Pally" is a small rural village approximately 30
kilometres east of Moree, in north-western New South Wales, on the banks of the Gwydir
River, two kilometres north of the Gwydir Highway between Inverell and Moree.
seventy hives were at work in their new location, after a journey of more than four
hundred miles. Little more than a month has elapsed since the removal, and the whole
seventy-four hives are working at full strength. No fewer than twenty 60-lb. tins of
honey have already been extracted and half-a-ton of honey is in the hives ready for
extraction. (p.7)

W. Hessell Hall, 1894 12 and 1908 13

1919, Distant Apiaries, Vic

The following long but instructive article appeared in Melbournes Weekly Times, 7
June 1919, titled Distant Apiaries. In these days of big, widely-scattered apiaries the
horse-drawn vehicle is being rapidly ousted in favor of the motor truck, the chief
advantage lying in the enormous saving effected by the use or a vehicle that will cover
25 miles in the time usually taken by a horse to go eight. A progressive apiarist must
lie prepared to move his apiary to a fresh site as the yield at the former one falls, and
in some districts this peregrination is fairly constant throughout the season. With the
motor the bee-keeper is independent of the railways to a great extent, and, moreover,
can easily contemplate placing his hives in desirable localities that would otherwise be
impossible because of distance.
Another advantage is the elimination of the risk incurred by using horses near bees.
While the horse must be unyoked some distance from the hives, and the wagon man-
hauled to where it Is required to load or unload, the truck can be taken right along the
rows of hives regardless of the flying bees.
A car that has given satisfaction, is fitted with the standard body, and is a single-seater,
having a steel boot on the platform at the rear. When it is desired to convert the car
the boot is removed, and a light, strong lorry-body, long, and wide enough to take eight
hives, is fitted and held by four bolts. This truck, which can be made available for hive-
shifting in a few minutes, can carry 24 colonies in single boxes, and providing the
weight Is kept down to about 800 lb., 32 can be safely carried. One car has often
carried loads of half a ton considerable distances, and over bad tracks, without

12
The Daily Telegraph, Sydney, 10 July 1894 (p.5)
13
The Farmer and Settler, Sydney, 26 June 1908 (p.6)
difficulty or apparent damage. During last season it ran thousands of miles on heavy
service connected with the apiary, without undue wear or strain, on either gear or tyres.
Today the cost of a suitable wagon, with harness and horses, is at least 60, and a
light gig for scouting purposes and private use will cost another 30, to which must be
added the value of a set of light harness. On the other hand, the car being convertible
from a draught to a passenger vehicle, makes the possession of a horse unnecessary.
A good second-hand car of the type described can be bought for 135 sometimes
much less. The lorry body costs 3, and Is built of oregon and pine. The upkeep
depends upon the capacity of the owner to do most of his garage work himself, and
none of it is difficult.
Although petrol is at present dear, it costs much less, mile for mile, than horse feed,
seeing that when not in use the car Is not a consumer. But of course, the vast economy
lies In the time saved which is so considerable as to enable the apiarist to employ less
labor and still have more opportunity to give his apiaries the time demanded during
the season than could ever be possible when dependent upon the faithful, but slow,
horse.
Again, the motor is always ready for service; but horses must be fed and watered, and
stables cleaned. All of which takes time and labor, which, during a big flow, would be
more profitable if applied elsewhere. For large apiaries consisting or a number of
outyards totalling, in the aggregate, 300 colonies or more, the small truck is barely
sufficient, as the apiarist may require to move a whole yard a considerable distance in
quick time. In such a case a trailer may be used, or one of the many extension
attachments that are on the market can be fitted to the little car, transforming it Into a
large, powerful truck capable of hauling up to 30 cwt. [1.5 tons] at about 16 miles an
hour. The cost of such attachments is high about 140 but their value is great,
seeing that by their use a whole yard may be moved in one load.
Moreover, the load is carried on heavy axles and springs, and thus the car Is spared
the chance of overstrain or damage that might otherwise result from injudicious
overloading. The trailer would come much cheaper, but entails the disadvantage of
the use of eight wheels Instead of four, with increased tyre expenditure and tractive
effort. The truck with attachment will carry 90 tins of honey, and when fitted with a
canvas top and sides with a wire door in rear is available for duty as a portable
extracting outfit which, visiting each yard in turn, makes It possible to harvest a
maximum crop with minimum cost, time and labor. (p.11)

1923, Burning Lorry, Bees Sting their Rescuers, NSW

The Maitland Daily Mercury, 17 Jan. 1923, reported: A motor lorry owned by Chas.
Griffin, a bee farmer of Bathurst, burst into flames when a naked light from a hurricane
lamp came into contact with petrol that was being poured into the tank of the lorry. The
lorry was loaded with crates of bees, which were saved from the flames, but many,
bees escaped and stung their rescuers. The lorry was damaged. (p.9)

1924, Fiebigs Ruggles truck, fitted with a special body for

carrying bees, S.Aust
In Adelaide's The Mail, 7 June 1925, under the heading RUOGLES TRUCKS: The
Maughan-Thiem Motor Company reports that in addition to recently landing 18
Ruggles chassis they have received a shipment of spares. Mr. R. Fiebig, of One Tree
Hill has purchased a Ruggles 15 model. (p.31) The News of Adelaide, 24 June 1924,
reported: Ruggles Trucks. During last week the Manghan-Thiem Motor Company
made deliveries of Ruggles trucks to Mr. H. L. Sprigg, of Piccadilly, fitted with a special
body for marketing produce, and to Mr. R. Fiebig, of One Tree Hill, fitted with a special
body for carrying honey and bees. (p.9)

In Adelaides The Register, 27 Apr. 1927 Ruggles Economy. Mr R. Fiebig, One Tree
Hill, wrote of the Maughan-Thiem Motor Company concerning a Ruggles Truck, as
follows - I have just completed a trip of 86 miles using 4 gallons of petrol - exactly 20
miles a gallon. Considering that the truck was overloaded, I consider it highly
satisfactory. This was not an isolated instance. One truck has gone 13,350 miles, and
is still using two of the original tyres, the tyres were on the rear wheels for half the
distance. The truck has had no mechanical trouble, and it would be impossible for any
other truck to give us the satisfaction I have received from Ruggles. I appreciate the
service and interest you have taken in me as a Ruggles owner. (p,4)
 A 1925 Ruggles, possibly of lighter capacity

A 1925 Ruggles truck 14 parked outside the Club Hotel, Currie Street,
Nambour, ca 1925. The pub is still there.

1924, they move the hives on trollies from one place to

another Vic
Melbournes Australasian,16 Feb. 1924, documented a tour of inspection of soldier
settlements and other properties in the Western district, around and about the towns
of Cavendish, Brim Springs, Horsham and Moralla. After luncheon the Ministerial
party left Cavendish and drove for about 30 miles through the bee country. The road
was what must be one of the worst in the State.
Most of the time the route lay in and out between trees, over broken stumps and
boulders, and, for a considerable distance, the motor cars were driven along the bed
of a dry creek. Only one home was passed during the 30 mile journey, but several

14
Image at National Library of Australia
empty huts of apiarists were seen. These huts are used by the owners at various times
during the year when they move the hives on trollies from one place to another. ...
(p.15)

1926, a Chevrolet one ton truck moves hives, Blanchetown,

S.Aust

A 1926 Chevrolet ton truck

Rockhamptons Morning Bulletin, 20 Mar. 1926 (p.12)
From Adelaides The Register, 13 Jan. 1926 under the title TRANSPORTING BEES.
Owing to the short period during which the blooms suitable for bees appear in most
districts, apiarists frequently find it necessary to move hives to temporary quarters in
localities far removed from the usual home. Mr. Coleman, of Williamstown, who has
operated a Chevrolet ton-truck for a considerable time and has used the vehicle for
that purpose on many occasions At present his bees are situated near
Blanchetown, and he has to convey the honey from there, an additional distance of
about 55 miles each way front Williamstown. (p.5)

This advertisement for a one ton Chevrolet appeared in Adelaides News, 8 Dec. 1925
(p.9)
1928, a big load of wool on a flatbed lorry

A 1928 motor lorry with a load of wool 15

This photograph from the Whitington collection, State Library of South Australia, is
annotated 'the first load of wool to come down by motor lorry, my own truck.' The load
could equally have been bees if the operator had been an apiarist, as the following
picture demonstrates.

Although this photograph was printed in Brisbanes Telegraph, 4 Sept. 1937 (p.8), it
depicts a motor lorry more at home in the early to mid 1920s. An article in Melbournes
Argus, 12 Sept. 1949, identified Ted Girdler as having been a migratory beekeeper
since around 1924. They travel for honey and for health: Mr E. C. Girdler is a friend
of bees After 25 years as an itinerant beekeeper, Mr E. C. Girdler, 60, of Capalaba,

15
trove.nla.gov.au/version/228801760
Queensland, still hasn't got tired of travelling. He and his wife have just completed a
3,000 mile three months trip round the eastern half of Australia. "We've camped in
some unusual places. Most unusual was Macquarie St, Sydney. We just pulled up, got
into the trailer, and stayed the night," Mr Girdler said. Some beekeepers travelled
hundreds of miles "following the bloom," but 100 miles was a "fair thing," he said. (p.6)
In the Sydney Mail, 21 May 1924, an article titled Migratory Bee-Keeping:
Experiences of a New England Apiarist aptly fits the picture above. A few years ago
an apiarist, in northern New England found that his bees had almost reached the end
of their tether owing to drought and consequent shortage of blossoms on the
eucalypts, so he resorted to the experiment of migration.
Many bee-keepers in the north and west had lost colonies that year, and it looked as
if this apiarist was doomed to the same fate. Just then a friend told him about a good
supply of blossom in a stringybark belt to the north, near the Queensland border.
Without delay he packed as many hives as he could into his Ford car and carried them
into this timber. The autumn blossom was plentiful, and, responding to the ample
provender with which the bees supplied her, the queen of each colony recommenced
laying and producing swarms of young ones to carry on the good work before winter
came, the colonies came forth vigorous and plentiful in the springtime.
Not only did he save his colonies from threatened extinction, but he repopulated them
and kept them profit producing. That beekeeper was Mr. Phil. Sommerlad, of
Tenterfield, farmer, orchardist, and apiarist, who now devotes practically all his time Io
the last named avocation, finding, like many another of this and past generations, that
bees bring the nectar of intellectual content and enjoyment to the mind, as well as
profit to the purse.

Broken down tin Lizzie light motor lorry, Sugar Bag Rd, Caloundra, ca.1930
Since th.it time Mr. Sommerlad has shifted his colonies whenever and wherever the
occasion demanded it, and he is now quite convinced that, if the best profits possible
are to be secured, migration from time to time is essential. The last time he moved
them was in summer, but a shortage of blossom may come any time in the season.
 Sunshine Coast Library, Qld 16
'As a rule,' said Mr. Sommerlad, 'I travel the colonies within an area of from 20 miles
east to 20 miles west of Tenterfield, and it pays me handsomely. At first, I had to do it
at a great disadvantage, as I packed the hives on to horse lorries; but, after these
experiments, when I found out how well I was repaid for the trouble, I put on my own
motor-lorry to do the work.'
New England offers good opportunities to progressive apiarists, who will find it
advantageous to lake their colonies towards the coast during the winter, where the
climate is warmer, returning about the last week in August. If the apiary is stationary,
the beekeeper requires a district in which the supply of blossoms is balanced, following
one another: but the migratory system can overcome many of the shortages in
successive blossoming.
Nowadays, with lorries which can carry from 30 to 40 hives, migration within a radius
of, say, 40 to 50 miles offers no great difficulties. At all events, Mr. Sommerlad sees in
this system a profitable way out for the progressive apiarist.
The experience of Mr. Sommerlad 17 is not exceptional, for the migratory system is
now common amongst those apiarists who are keenly pressing towards success. A
prominent Tamworth apiarist, Mr. A. Alley, told the writer that it has become essential
to success, and that he has carried out a migratory plan most profitably. He mentioned
a recent instance where he transported on his motor lorry a large number of hives
about ten miles from his farm. Although he had extracted the honey from the hives
before their removal, they were again filled in a little over a week. (p.29)

1932, unlawful to transport bees long distances by road, NSW

It seems that it was unlawful to transport bees by road for long distances, at least in
NSW. In the Sydney Morning Herald, 3 Feb. 1932 under the heading CARRIAGE OF
BEES: At a meeting of the central executive of the United Beekeepers' Associations
of New South Wales, Mr. A. Shallard declared that the Transport Board was "fleecing"
the beekeepers and making it difficult for them to carry on their Industry. It was
necessary for beekeepers from time to time to move their bees, and this had to be
done without loss of time. If the bees, when packed, had to be taken by lorry to a train
and transported some distance, then loaded on to lorries at the other end, the keeper
would lose half his bees. That method was far from satisfactory. The beekeepers
should be permitted to use their lorries for transport. (p.11)

16
This photo of special interest to me as I live in Caloundra, just off Sugar Bag Rd.
17
In searching the web I chanced upon this snippet from page 1484 of the 1870s
American publication Gleanings in Bee Culture: Phil Sommerlad. Tenterfield, Spring
Valley, N.S.W. Forty Years of Beekeeping. I commenced beekeeping in the spring of
1876. At that time I was using the American hive, made by King & Co., of New York
city. I now have 120 colonies.
1934, better arrangements needed to transport bees by rail, Vic
In Melbournes Argus newspaper, 28 June 1934, at the Apiarists' Conference, Mr. "W.
B. Mcintyre said that better arrangements would have to be made for transport of bees
by the railways. Transport would have to be more rapid, and special freight rates
adopted or road transport would be used. Mr. W. J. B. Holden (Stawell) said that many
years ago bees were considered to be a menace to passengers on the railways, and
the department at present carried them only in goods trains. Under the present
regulations road transport would suit beekeepers admirably.
Mr. W. B. Mcintyre said that better arrangements would have to be made for transport
of bees by the railways. Transport would have to be more rapid, and special freight
rates adopted or road transport would be used. It was stated that in New South Wales
a special rate a ton a mile had been adopted for moving bees, hives, and equipment.
(p.7)
1935, honey tins before a light motor lorry, Vic

Samuel Brooker and George Brooker among the four in view Stand before honey
tins and a light motor lorry, Moliagul, Victoria (Museums Victoria)
In Melbournes The Argus, 15 Nov. 1926, the Brooker Bros, Beekeepers of Dunolly,
15 klms from Moliagul, were engaged in shifting bees when their motor truck caught
fire and was completely destroyed.

1935, fast motor trucks can transport hives for distances up to

200 miles in a single night, Qld
A very long article by H. A. LINDSAY titled Gathering The Honey Harvest appeared
in Adelaides The Advertiser, 7 Dec. 1935 Anyone travelling on the country roads at
night now is likely to see motor lorries stacked high with hives of bees. Few people
outside of the bee keeping industry, however, realise why bees are nearly always
moved at night, nor do they understand why it is necessary to move apiaries from
place to place.
The advance of modern beekeeping is bound up with the advent of fast, reliable motor
transport. In pre-motor days the moving of hives was limited to the distance which
horse-drawn trollies could cover between sunset and sunrise, and then most
beekeepers left their hives in one place for as long as possible, provided that the bees
could gather sufficient honey and pollen to provide for their own needs.
Today, however, fast motor trucks can transport hives for distances up to 200 miles in
a single night, and in order to gain a living from beekeeping nowadays it is necessary
to keep the bees gathering honey right through the summer, by moving them from
areas where the trees have ceased flowering to other localities where a different
variety of tree Is coming into flower. (p.11)
 one hundred hives on the road
Bee-keeping in Victoria, F.R. Beuhne, 1942
The practice of moving bees from one district to another originated mainly from the
necessity to save the colonies from the effects of drought or severe pollen famine,
which frequently occurs in some of our best honey-producing areas. The moving of
apiaries has increased gradually until today probably 60% of the commercial apiarists
of the State practice it more or less continuously.
The migration of hives could not be taken full advantage of under the old system of
horse-drawn conveyances owing to its slowness and the danger of accident, although
a combination of horse and rail transport was sometimes used successfully. As bees
can be confined for a limited time only during hot weather, migratory bee-farming did
not develop fully until the advent of fast transport, in the form of the motor truck, the
use of which might be said to have revolutionized the industry. (pp.38-39)

1936, a motor lorry was necessary in the off season, S.Aust

In South Australia, Angastons Leader for 26 Mar. 1936 (p.4) gave five points for
successful beekeeping. As an adjunct it stated A locality should be chosen with
sufficient honey-yielding flora within a radius of two miles of the apiary; red gum
constituting the chief source in this State. The quality of red gum honey was second
to none excepting perhaps lucerne honey. The drawback with red gum was that it
flowered only every other year, and large beekeepers were therefore compelled to
move their bees during the off season. In regard to mobility, it was very important that
a man relying on bee keeping for a living should he in a position to take advantage of
every honey flow that may occur within reasonable distance. For this a motor lorry was
necessary.

1937, Bees Kept Moving to Increase Honey Production, Qld

An article in Brisbanes The Telegraph, 4 Sept. 1937, titled Bees Kept Moving to
Increase Honey Production: An accident lo a truck-load of bees at the Bundamba
railway level crossing recently induced an inquiry as to why the bees were being
shifted. It was ascertained that it is a common practice for beekeepers to follow the
flowers by moving their hives on motor trucks from 20 to 200 miles, so that the bees
will produce honey practically all the year round. Migratory beekeeping is
comparatively new to Queensland it has been practised in New South Wales,
Victoria, and South Australia for many years, and in these States the hives are moved
both by motor truck and train.

Two 1930s lorries with loads of hives

Mr. E. C. Girdler. one of the largest beekeepers in the Cleveland district, explained
that the reason for this moving of bees from district to district was similar to that
adopted by the grazier who, when short of grass in one locality, moves his sheep on
agistment to country which has been more fortunate in regard to rainfall. it is
possible to move a whole apiary a distance of from 100 to 200 miles between nightfall
and daylight.
 E.C. Girdler holding a frame with bees at Capalaba, 1937 18

1939, all farmers must have good roads, if they are to prosper,
NSW
Major Shallard, a beekeeper who once operated at Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains,
had his letter to the Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser,
published on 2 June 1939. The bee industry of the State is assuming large proportions
there are ten thousand registered bee-keepers in N.S.W. beekeepers around
Woodburn are as thick as blackberries. For these good people to prosper they need
good roads so that they can transport their bees and honey. In fact, all farmers must
have good roads, if they are to prosper, but it is particularly necessary in the case of
the apiarist. If his bees get jolted about during transport they will die, and as honey is
a very heavy article, packed in tins which cannot stand much rough usage without
leaking, it is necessary that he should have roads reasonably good.
About a week ago I essayed to drive to Jerusalem beach. I did not get there. I got
about three miles along the road and found the 'going' so rough and the road (if one
could call it a road) so rotten that I judged it wiser to return. Yesterday I made an
attempt to take a load of bees along the same road. I failed. I got about a mile from
the Chatsworth main road, and was hopelessly bogged. I had to unload, and it took
over an hour to dig the empty truck out!
This condition of affairs is not in the interest of not only the bee industry, but of the
State as a whole. The main consideration of the Councils, and all governing bodies,
should be to foster all and every kind of rural producer, whether he be enriching the
State with pigs or pineapples, because the only way to prosperity lies along this road.
Under modern conditions of beekeeping, migration is absolutely necessary, and if the
beekeepers cannot move their bees and get their honey to market the industry cannot
prosper. (p.3)

18
The Telegraph, Brisbane, 27 Apr. 1937 (p.2)
 Photo by Lin Cumming, ca.1940s, held at Murrindindi Library Service
Stock truck laden with bee hives on the road near Alexandra, Vic.
Thus ends my tale on the various means employed in the early years of the migratory
transport of bees. Misinformed journalist previously mentioned please take note.
Peter Barrett, November 2017
END

i
http://www.flotilla-australia.com/images/seahorse.jpg
ii http://www.flotilla-australia.com/nsw-other.htm#bboyd
iii http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/boyd-benjamin-ben-1815
iv
Technical details from Flotilla Australia. flotilla-australia.com/adsteam.htm