The Brightside - Meet The BEE Team

May 30, 2023

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Written by

May 30, 2023

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Written by

THE BRIGHTSIDE: A NATIVE BEE SANCTUARY ON AN INNER CITY ROOFTOP.

Meet the Bee Team - Conor Teevan and Jacob Williams, and find out how they are reviving a car park rooftop into a haven for native flora and fauna.

Hello Bee Team! Who is in your team?

Hello! The Bee Team is made up of Conor Teevan and Jacob Williams. We get a lot of help from volunteers in our community, so everyone who shares our passion is also a member of our team.

Tell us how it all started.

It all started with an idea and a grant from the alcohol company Beam Suntory. I had been researching bees and their importance and thought we needed to do something to bring everyone’s attention to their significance. So, we decided to create a native bee sanctuary in a prominent place in town. A safe place for bees to grow their populations and a beautiful site for people to visit.

Not only was this project to support the bees, but it’s also about respecting and paying our rent to the land. We have both had our own journeys learning about the land, Conor as a bartender using native ingredients, and Jacob as a proud Gayiri man learning about his heritage and caring for country. We both felt that if people had a little bit of insight into how incredible the plants growing here are, they would share some of our respect for this land.

Why are bees so important?

Bees have been in decline since the end of World War II when we introduced neonicotinoid pesticides into farming. This saw the agricultural industry boom, so it’s understandable that we didn’t see a problem initially. But this pesticide leads to bees dying far away from their hives leading beekeepers to call this issue ‘vanishing bees’. We now know it as Colony Collapse Disorder. Without pollinators, plants don’t fruit as often or even at all. Researchers estimate that we would lose one-third of our fresh food production if we didn’t have bees. So, not only do we need bees for a stable ecosystem, we need bees for our own nutrition.

Why are bees so important?

Bees have been in decline since the end of World War II when we introduced neonicotinoid pesticides into farming. This saw the agricultural industry boom, so it’s understandable that we didn’t see a problem initially. But this pesticide leads to bees dying far away from their hives leading beekeepers to call this issue ‘vanishing bees’. We now know it as Colony Collapse Disorder. Without pollinators, plants don’t fruit as often or even at all. Researchers estimate that we would lose one-third of our fresh food production if we didn’t have bees. So, not only do we need bees for a stable ecosystem, we need bees for our own nutrition.

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What made you guys pick the Wollongong multi-storey car park?

We were lucky enough to be offered the space on top of the Wollongong Centre car park, and although it needed work to make it a garden, we would have been silly not to take it. The space is central enough that people can easily visit us; there are no neonicotinoid pesticides used in the area, so the bees are safe from that threat. We also wanted to show people that urban spaces can be perfect for native plants and bees. The Wollongong Council has ensured there are plenty of resources around town for bees by adding a good diversity of plants within the area.

What does work on the project look like?

Right now, a lot of the work is just some light gardening. Watering the garden every second day, scoping around for any external threats to the bees, and trying to make the space look nice. Initially, the workload was quite massive, sourcing recycled materials to build planter boxes, filling them with soil and planting. All while trying to get the word out there about The Bee Team and raise some money through events. I feel it’s important to note that we don’t get any money from this project. Every dollar donated goes towards the bees and the garden. We’re happy to volunteer our time and effort because this is such an important cause.

Any fun facts you can share with us?

There are around 2000 species of native bees in Australia, but only 11 are stingless and social, like the Tetragonula Carbonaria bees we have in our garden.

Can we visit the sanctuary?

Very soon we’ll have chairs and tables for people to come and bring their lunch and relax in the garden. We’re not quite at that stage yet, but we’re doing what we can open up the garden to the public as soon as possible.

Any advice for bee and native garden enthusiasts wanting to take on a similar project in their local area?

Just do it! We have Tetragonula Carbonaria bees which are native to the Eastern Coastal regions of Australia and are stingless. The hive maintenance is very minimal, so it would be an easy way in for people new to bees.

If you don’t want the responsibilities of a hive but want the benefits of bees in your garden, consider getting a bee hotel. We’re currently working on making bee hotels for the Bee Team to sell, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Basically, a bee hotel is a stopping off point for bees. Not all native bees have communal hives, some are solitary creatures. They may take your hotel as their new home for a little while and give you all the pollination you need.

We highly recommend planting natives in your garden simply because they’re amazing and they’re meant to be here. Whatever is native to your area is naturally going to grow better and easier than trying to adjust the soil to make something else grow.

As Australians, we need to have an awareness of the past and all the atrocities done towards Aboriginal people, but not let that stop us from reconciling these mistakes and building a better future for this country.

Native plants are important to Indigenous people as they are used for food, medicine and tools. Not only is there such a great variety of native plants, but they are also better suited to our climates and look amazing. For us to pay our rent to this land, we should listen to and respect aboriginal voices, along with us all caring for country through protecting and enhancing our native flora and fauna.

The Bee Team currently have a Go Fund Page where you make a donation to help this wonderful initiative keep humming along.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-bee-team