Claire Moore’s work to breed genetically diverse queen bees has seen her named national runner-up in the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.
The Kyneton beekeeper was honoured at Parliament House last week and is already abuzz with plans to develop a local research arm into queen bee breeding and a training centre for future beekeepers.
Ms Moore is now pushing for funds to establish Kyneton as the first in the state to offer Certificate III in Beekeeping.
“It’s been a big year! I am working hard to get this training approved in Victoria because at the moment there’s nothing like it available here,” Ms Moore said.
“I aim to set up a training centre here in Kyneton linked to the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning program and have it supported by structured workplace learning.”
Several local community groups have already indicated their interest and support for the initiative expected to help in securing a stronger future for the industry.
Ms Moore’s own desire to further her knowledge in the field highlighted the need for improved training access and she believes generating the more productive and disease-resistant bees is the way of the future.
She received a bursary of $10,000 as winner of the Victoria 2019 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award in March, which allowed her to study beekeeping in NSW. She will complete this training in early October.
With several busy months ahead, Ms Moore said she was thrilled to be named runner-up for the national title and has received an additional $5000 bursary towards her venture.
Ms Moore was runner-up to New South Wales remote work advocate Jo Palmer – the founder of Pointer Remote Roles.
Ms Moore is the second Kyneton woman in two years to win the Victorian title, with Melissa Connors’ This Farm Needs a Farmer project winning in 2018.
Ms Moore expects to start rearing queens this spring, which she will on-sell to commercial and backyard beekeepers.
“It takes a long time to build that knowledge. It’s something I’m going to be working for a long time,” she said.
The bees are just one element of The Good Life – a family business Claire and her partner Paul Fogarty began for premium-paddock egg production.
