People in white bee suits, standing around Adrian Iodice, the instructor, who is showing them honeycomb built on a top-bar of a Kenyan Top Bar Hive.

Castlemaine, Victoria

Natural Beekeeping CourseStart Your Own Hive with Confidence

25th & 26th April 2026

Read More

25th & 26th April 2026

Saturday & Sunday
9:30am to 4.00pm each day
$590
One time payment
Bookings Closed.
See upcoming classes & courses
Early Bird Ends 1st March 2026
Beekeeper, Adrian Iodice, is holding up a Kenyan top bar hive frame of honeycomb, showing five class participants a piece of honeycomb covered in bees.
Natural Beekeeper, Adrian Iodice, with open hands towards a Kenyan Top Bar Hive. He is explaining the positioning of the hive.
A close-up shot shows numerous bees crawling on a section of golden honeycomb.
A close-up shot shows numerous bees crawling on a section of golden honeycomb.
Six adult course participants, standing behind two newly built Kenyan Top Bar Hives.
A close up view of several bees, clustered on a piece of honeycomb inside a Kenyan Top Bar Hive.
Beekeeper, Adrian Iodice, is carefully inspecting a frame of honeycomb covered with bees inside a wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive.
Two fair-skinned hands are carefully lifting a frame of golden honeycomb densely covered with dark bees out of a light-colored wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive. The hive is open, revealing multiple top bars and another frame of honeycomb with bees below. The setting is outdoors in a sunny environment with blurred green foliage in the background. The focus is on the delicate process of inspecting the bee colony and their honeycomb within this type of natural beehive. The bees appear to be Western honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Embrace natural beekeeping techniques

Learn sustainable beekeeping practices that support bee health.

This course offers a detailed introduction to natural beekeeping, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices. Adrian will guide you through the essential techniques needed to manage your hives effectively, fostering a deep connection to the bees and the environment while ensuring the health of your colonies.

enrol now
A selection of various Kenyan top bar Hive images framed inside honeycomb shapes. Some are close-ups and some are images of Adrian teaching beekeeping courses.

Embrace natural beekeeping techniques

Learn sustainable beekeeping practices that support bee health.

This course offers a detailed introduction to natural beekeeping, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices. Adrian will guide you through the essential techniques needed to manage your hives effectively, fostering a deep connection to the bees and the environment while ensuring the health of your colonies.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

  • You are a novice interested in learning beekeeping from experts.

  • You are experienced and want to enhance your skills with natural beekeeping.

  • You are curious about the lives and communal systems of bees.

  • You want to adopt sustainable practices that support bee health.

  • If you live in Castlemaine, Bendigo, or Daylesford area. Or are happy to make the short trip from Melbourne.

Adrian Iodice is holding up a top bar with honeycomb covered in bees. Students close by are leaning in to see.
Adrian Iodice is holding up a top bar with honeycomb covered in bees. Students close by are leaning in to see.

Discover

  • The development and lifecycle of honey bees within the hive.

  • The significance of natural honeycomb in sustainable beekeeping.

  • Effective swarm-catching methods and necessary tools.

  • Strategies for beehive placement to promote health and productivity.

  • The healing benefits of honey bee products such as honey, propolis, and beeswax.

  • Effective Kenyan top bar hive management techniques to support natural beekeeping.

A detailed close-up shows a single Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) with a light brown and black striped abdomen, delicate translucent wings, and fuzzy thorax. It is positioned on a section of golden-brown honeycomb, with its head and front legs inside one of the hexagonal cells. The background is softly blurred.
A detailed close-up shows a single Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) with a light brown and black striped abdomen, delicate translucent wings, and fuzzy thorax. It is positioned on a section of golden-brown honeycomb, with its head and front legs inside one of the hexagonal cells. The background is softly blurred.

What’s included?

  • Full course notes and reference materials

  • A hands-on beehive inspection of a Kenyan top bar hive in the Castlemaine area.

  • DIY plans for constructing a Kenyan Top Bar Hive

  • Extensive beekeeping reading and resource list

  • Morning & afternoon tea with artisanal bread, butter, and raw honey

Adrian Iodice is pictured, carefully opening a wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive. Bees are visible inside the hive and flying around the entrance. Adrian is preparing to inspect the hive.
Adrian Iodice is pictured, carefully opening a wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive. Bees are visible inside the hive and flying around the entrance. Adrian is preparing to inspect the hive.
A very enjoyable couple of days.

Meet the facililtator

Photo of Adrian Iodice smiling at camera.

Bees have such a beautiful nature; it doesn’t take much to fall in love with them.

~ Adrian Iodice

Adrian Iodice

Adrian Iodice has a deep passion for natural sustainable bee care. He started beekeeping with standard conventional Langstroth hives and since 2010, he began experimenting with and studying various hive designs.

Adrian is one of the pioneers of the ‘Natural beekeeping’ movement in Australia. In 2012 he studied biodynamic beekeeping at ‘Mellifera Centre for Organic Beekeeping’ in Rosenfeld, southern Germany. He has come to the conclusion that the ‘Kenyan top bar hive’ is the better hive suited to his needs and he feels that every ‘backyard beekeeper’ should truly consider the hive design they will eventually use for the wellbeing of their bees.

He teaches natural, sustainable beekeeping workshops all over Australia.

The venue

Castlemaine Community House

30 Templeton St, Castlemaine VIC 3450

Castlemaine Community House Inc. offers classes, courses and workshops to support the Mount Alexander community, including Learn Local education, social inclusion, and the Community Lunch. They also provide services like internet access, financial programs, and Castlemaine Pride initiatives.

 

 

Course Outline

This beekeeping course for beginner beekeepers starts with Adrian Iodice’s personal journey and the sacred nature of bees.

You’ll explore the spiritual connection with bees and their crucial role in nature, emphasizing the importance of natural beekeeping practices for sustainability and bee health.

The course delves into various bee products, such as honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, and wax, explaining their uses and benefits.

The course then focuses on bee biology and behavior, discussing the roles of worker bees, drones, and queens, and addressing swarming. You’ll learn how to manage queens and swarms, catch a swarm, and install it into a hive, promoting a holistic beekeeping approach.

A significant part of the course is dedicated to the Kenyan Topbar Hive, where you’ll learn its history, setup, components, placement, and management. The course includes an inspection of a Kenyan Topbar Hive, providing hands-on experience and covering how to transfer bees from a Langstroth hive to a Kenyan Topbar Hive, promoting sustainable practices.

Practical aspects of beekeeping are emphasized, focusing on essential tools and safety measures. You’ll learn to harvest and process honeycomb and wax efficiently.

Finally, the course addresses managing common pests and diseases like Varroa mites, American foulbrood, and small hive beetle. Understanding these challenges helps you maintain a healthy bee colony.

This comprehensive outline ensures you gain a thorough understanding of natural beekeeping practices, fostering a deeper connection with your bees and promoting a sustainable environment.

FAQs

Adrians knowledge of bees and his passion for them can be found in every moment of this course. Simply lovely.

Castlemaine, Victoria

Natural Beekeeping CourseStart Your Own Hive with Confidence

25th & 26th April 2026

Read More

25th & 26th April 2026

Saturday & Sunday
9:30am to 4.00pm each day
$590
One time payment
Bookings Closed.
See upcoming classes & courses
Early Bird Ends 1st March 2026

Book now

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