# Hi from Melbourne Australia



## prestonpaul (Aug 22, 2011)

Hi All
I am in the first steps of becoming a beekeeper, really just the research stage although I sent off my DPI registration form yesterday so I guess within the next week or so it will be official I live In Epping, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, but we have recently purchased a farm in Kennedys Creek which is on the western edge of the Otways or about 30km inland from the 12 Apostles and The Great Ocean Road. This is where my hives will be located. I get to the farm about once a week with the occasional fortnight thrown in so the hives won't be on their own for any extended length of time. At the moment I am planning to start with one or maybe 2 hives at the most this year. I am not interested in a commercial endeavor, purely amateur so I don't see myself progressing past half a dozen hives, but then stranger things have happened I guess 
I am planning to go to the next Beekeepers Club meeting in Doncaster and join up as well as trying to work in one of their beginner courses around my shift.
In the mean time I have started getting my wooden ware together, I have enough for 2 hives, with one brood box and one super with frames top and bottom etc, all in 8 frame deeps.
All the best.
Paul.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Welcome to the site!


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome Paul!


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## prestonpaul (Aug 22, 2011)

Thanks!
I have been busy painting my hives and I am really looking forward to getting some bees and getting started


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

Welcome Paul, I smell trouble here. You havent started yet and your already putting your top hive number at 6.. Most people start with 2 and say they only want 2, two years later they have 12. You may be the next commercial keeper in your area.. It is recommended normally to start with 2 hives , its easier to compare progress and detect a problem with another hive to compare it to. Also its handy having brood and eggs to move around..


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## prestonpaul (Aug 22, 2011)

I have 2 hives nearly ready to go, just have to give them one more coat of paint, wire the frames & fit foundation. All I want to do in the immediate future is have enough honey for my self, some to give away to family, friends and neighbors, some to make mead and perhaps a little left over to sell at the farm gate. The more I read though, it seems once you get started, it can become hard to stop expansion. I am already planning to build a couple of swarm traps to see if I can fill my hives for free. Then there is the possibility of needing to do splits etc & I guess once it becomes known you have bees you become the go to guy for swarm removal. Hopefully all that is a way down the track & I can concentrate on keeping my two hives happy & healthy for this season  If things start getting bigger & I start making a little money a few years down the track, who am I to argue
Paul


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## FordPrefect (Sep 4, 2011)

Hello from Milwaukee.


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