Beekeeping (apiary) permits for national and conservation parks

To place beehives in a national park or other protected area managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, you must hold an apiary permit for an available site.

Apiary activities in protected areas are governed by the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Biosecurity Act 2014.

Available apiary sites occur where a national park is declared on land that:

• is actively being used for beekeeping and the apiary permit has not already expired
• has been previously defined as a forest reserve within the defined South-East Queensland forest transfer process. In this situation, apiary permits can continue to be issued by Department of Environment and Science (DES) through a special management area framework.

Permit requirements

To conduct beekeeping in a national park or conservation park in Queensland, you must:

• apply for an apiary permit through Online Services
• be a registered beekeeper (PDF, 171MB).

An apiary permit in a conservation park can be granted for a maximum of 5 years. For sites in national parks, DES can only issue permits until December 2024. Amendments to this end date in the Nature Conservation Act 1992 are being considered and further advice will be provided regarding long-term permits.

Steps to take before you apply for a permit

Check if an apiary site is available

View the apiary site maps to check the availability of a site.

Applying for an apiary permit

Submit your application through Online Services.

Learn more about Online Services and access the user guides.

Fees for beekeeping on protected areas (effective 1 July 2023)

Placing hives in the park

You must speak with local rangers at least 48 hours prior to placing your hives or undertaking clearing of a site. Relocation of sites must not occur without local ranger approval. Contact us for more information.

Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, you must be aware of and adhere to the minimum distance required between hives in certain cases. Distance between hives supports commercial beekeepers and allows them to work their hives without robbing.

For national parks and conservation parks, the minimum distance between apiary sites is 800 meters.

Hives must be identified as per the Biosecurity Act 2014. It is recommended that all hives are branded with your hive identification number (HIN) as proof of ownership.

Sites must not exceed an area of 600m² and not contain more than 150 hives.

All equipment brought to the permit area, including any equipment used as a smoker, must be maintained to avoid a fire threat. Use of a lit smoker must be contained within the permit area and be completely extinguished after use.

Renewing permits

To renew a permit, you can submit your application through Online Services 40 business days before the expiry of your current permit. Once a permit has expired, the site may be available for other apiarists to apply.

An automatic email reminder will be sent to notify you when permit renewals are due and another when the permit expires. You are responsible for ensuring your beekeeping activities are covered by the appropriate permits as required by the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Apiary site maps

Apiary maps show the distribution of apiary sites and the availability status of each site. Use the Apiary maps for National Parks and Conservation Parks to search by park or by zooming in on a particular park.

Email southernpermitsteam@des.qld.gov.au if you have any questions.