Bees don’t usually get to headline a festival, but the tiny workers will get their moment in the spotlight when the inaugural Northcliffe Bee Festival takes over the Southern Forests town next month.
The free event will run from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, October 24 at Northcliffe District High School Oval, with market stalls, local honey tastings, bee-inspired food and art, beekeeper discussions and more.
This year’s theme, Small but Mighty, celebrates the tiny pollinators while highlighting the important role they play in food, farming and the health of the environment.
Native bee scientist and science communicator Dr Kit Prendergast will take to the stage during the festival to discuss native bee biodiversity, ecology and conservation.
The event continues beyond Northcliffe the following day with a special four-wheel-drive adventure showcasing the buds, birds, bugs and, naturally, bees of the region.
The half-day tour with Pemberton Discovery Tours will travel through Warren and D’Entrecasteaux national parks, moving between towering karri forest, Lake Yeagarup, shifting dunes and coastal environments.
Photographer Melissa Zappelli from Wild Wing Images will join the tour to share her insights into spring in the Southern Forests and encourage visitors to look a little closer.
Melissa will help guests explore the relationships between plants and their pollinators, with plenty of opportunities to stop, photograph and investigate whatever happens to reveal itself.
Pemberton Discovery Tours has been venturing beyond the region’s sealed roads since Graeme and Toni Dearle established the business in 1999.
Discussing the upcoming outing, Toni says guests need no specialist knowledge, just an interest in looking.
“This special departure gives extra attention to the birds, plants and insects along the way, while still taking in the landscapes for which the tour is known,” she says.
“It is an outing for anyone who has paused over an unfamiliar flower, wondered about an insect in the garden or wanted to understand more of what they see in the bush.”
To join Melissa and the team from Pemberton Discovery Tours on the day, book the Beach & Forest Eco Adventure for Sunday, October 25 at pembertondiscoverytours.com.au or phone 0427 133 335.
For more information about the inaugural Bee Festival happening this October, visit beefest.com.au.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails