Messines Bee Farmis a beekeeping family business situated in the wheatbelt town of Northam in the heart of the picturesque Avon Valley. Northam is also home to a diverse range of attractions such as hot air ballooning, cultural experiences, wildflowers, tours & trails, historic buildings, white swans and of course our beautiful bees. Messines Bee Farm sells honey products, removes swarms and runs educational workshops.
We love sharing our knowledge of bees with people, young and old! and are passionate about educating everyone on the importance of bees, their role for our planet, the plight they are facing and what we can do to help. Come and join us for one of our engaging workshops, we cant wait to introduce you all to our beautiful bees!
Jay, has been teaching for over 16 years. Currently she is a Learning Support Teacher but has taught across all primary age groups as a classroom teacher and music and art specialist.
Caitlin, has worked as an Education assistant but is currently working in the mining industry as a Heritage and Cultural advisor. In her spare time she is a beekeeper - her specialties are beeswax candles.
Beekeeper Tony, is our resident head Beekeeper who loves nothing more than spending time with his bee family and sharing his love of bees with anyone who will listen.
Congratulations to Jay Page for being one of the three finalists for the Western Australian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award 2024 for her work in bee education and sustainability.
This is Australia’s leading award empowering and celebrating the inclusive and courageous leadership of women involved in Australia’s rural and emerging industries, businesses and communities, now and into the future.
We are honoured to be a part of such a valuable endeavour and look forward to the final announcement in late March!
Both of Tony’s Grandfathers were bee keepers and he has been very excited to continue the family tradition. Pictured here is the old family apiary on Mount Panorama, Bathurst NSW. Tony’s Dad is also a beekeeper in Augusta WA, we enjoy swapping bee stories and of course sampling his south west floral blends of honey!
I love teaching and I love bees. I feel very thankful that I am able to combine my two interests by providing engaging, interactive, creative, hands on and relevant workshops for school aged children.
Our goal at Messines Bee Farm is to spark curiosity and joy in the young, giving students opportunities to pose and respond to questions, educating them on the importance of caring for bees, the bees role in the environment, sustainability and what we can do to help.
Parts of the curriculum that we cover are:
We teach the above using an integrated sensory approach. Students will see, touch, hear, taste and smell through the use of play and hands on resources. We use a whole class and then rotation format and our school incursions go for one hour with a maximum class size of 30 students.
Children can observe real bees through a secure observation hive or virtual bees with our digital observation hive. Then finish the incursion with a honey tasting.
We have a variety of themed incursions that build on students' knowledge and focus on different parts of the curriculum.
You can progress through all four incursions during the year or they can be booked independently on a date that suits your class. Link your incursion to special events – Mothers Day, Fathers Day or Christmas. The take home crafts from incursions 2, 3 and 4 take the worry out of planning special occasion gifts.
All about bees
Mind your own beeswax
The buzz on native bees
Beeing sustainable - Beeswax wraps
We offer a one-hour presentation 'All about bees', where we take the students on a learning journey.
Pricing: $280.00 - one hour workshop
Maximum 30 students
Travel fees may apply
AM and PM sessions available.
Enquire Now!
Optional add-on: Make a rolled candle
Pricing: $280.00 - one hour workshop
Plus $7.00 per child for rolled candle kit
Maximum 30 students
Travel fees may apply
AM and PM sessions available
Enquire Now!
Optional add-on: Bee hotel
Pricing: $280.00 - one hour workshop
Plus $5.00 per child for bee hotel kit
Maximum 30 students
Travel fees may apply
AM and PM sessions available
Enquire Now!
Optional add-on: Beeswax food wrap
Pricing: $280.00 - one hour workshop
Plus $10.00 per child for food wrap kit
Maximum 20 students
Travel fees may apply
AM and PM sessions available
Enquire Now!
For more information about our school incursions or to make a booking. Please call us at 0403 430 042 or email us at workshops@messines.com.au.
Here at Messines Bee farm, we offer different themed workshops for homeschooling, corporate or
community groups. If you have 8 or more attendees and would like more information or to make
a booking, please email us workshops@messines.com.au.
Some of our most popular workshops:
$50 per person (Minimum group size of 8)
This is our most popular workshop! In 90 minutes, children will learn about bees, the importance of bees, their role for our planet, the plight they are facing and what we can do to help. We do this using engaging, hands on and play based experiences. Tasting, touching, looking, feeling and smelling.
$50 per person (Minimum group size of 8)
During this 90 minute workshop you will discover all about beeswax and its uses and make a rolled candle to take home. Some of the topics covered will be how beeswax is made, why bees make beeswax and what they do with it. We will also talk about the health benefits of beeswax and its many uses.
$50 per person (Minimum group size of 8)
During this 90-minute workshop we will learn all about native bees and their various habitats, their role in the environment and how we can care for them. During the workshop you will make a bee hotel out of recycled materials to take home.
$55 per person (Minimum group size of 8)
Do you love candles? Are you interested in how beeswax candles purify the air? Then this is the workshop for you! During this 90-minute workshop we will show you how to make and pour beeswax tea lights and a rolled candle. We will talk about the benefits of beeswax candles and you will make a rolled candle using natural beeswax.
$150 per child
Ready for an adventure! Suit up in a bee suit and take a walk over to our hives. During this 90-minute experience explore what it would be like to be a beekeeper up close and personal.
Celebrate your corporate milestones or encourage team work in a unique way with a Messines bee farm experience! Discover, how the harmony of a healthy hive mirrors a thriving team and bee inspired to apply these principles to enhance your own workplace.
Celebrate and enjoy a free honey tasting and complementary cheese and honeycomb grazing platter.
We were excited to be featured in a recent GWN news segment. The segment focused on Jay Page’s achievement
of being selected as one of the three finalists for the Western Australian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award 2024 and showcased the school
incursions offered by Messines Bee Farm.
We are passionate about teaching children the importance of bees, their role for the planet,
the plight they are facing and what they can do to help. We believe if we educate the child, we can help them make connections to the
land and their future inspiring change that radiates from the child to their families and friends and the greater community.
The potential for positive and lasting impact is great.
Our vision: educate – inspire – connect – change.
What an honor to be mentioned in Parliament, thanks Mia Davies MLA for all your support! It's such a privilege to have this opportunity, to highlight the importance of bee education to our community, our state and our country. I am surrounded by amazing, inspirational women. Go team, Wheatbelt!
Have a Bee in your bonnet? A swarm that needs removing?
We can fix that!
Call Tony in Northam on 0436 855 763 or email beekeeper@messines.com.au for a quick quote.
Here at Messines Bee Farm we love all things bees and are more than happy to share our passion for bees with the community. We can customise and create for any needs or situation. Do not hesitate to contact us.
You can contact us by phone on 0403 430 042 or email workshops@messines.com.au.
Meredith Tolley
We went up to the farm and were warmly greeted by both Jay and Tony. The were so knowledgeable and loved answering all of my questions as well as entertaining and educating our group of kiddos! Could not recommend it enough.
Plus, The drive was quite scenic and enjoyable please don’t let the distance stop you from venturing out. There’s a beautiful river in Northam I want to picnic at next time we visit.
Ofira Shaw
Thank You soo much Tony and Jay.
Soo insightful and absolutely a great way to introduce bee keeping to a novice like me.
I feel like I retained a lot and now have a lot to think about, research ,however now with a much better understanding of the concept of what's involved , consumables .....
Really appreciated the personal touch and the one on one and Jay you looking after my back with the smoker 😁 the experience was above and beyond Ofira 🐝
Madeline Towns
Took my 8yr old daughter to the bee workshop and wow she had loads of fun and really enjoyed all the fun activities making bees and a beeswax wrap. we can't wait to come back soon for the candle making workshop 5/5
Annick French
I just participated in a great DIY beeswax wrap making session. It was fun and informative (and there was delicious food! WOO!), I'm so glad I went. Thank you!
Jan Pinkas Coh
Thank you to Jay from Messines Bee Farm who came to Carmel School for an incursion with the Pre-Primary children. We learnt so much from you and the stations after the talk were engaging and well planned. Highly recommended! Delicious honey too.
Messine Bee Farm are registered beekeepers with the department of primary industries & regional development, and are a registered food business. Messines Bee Farm have public liability insurance and an incursion risk assessment. Jay is a registered teacher with a current WWC card.