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Author Topic: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.  (Read 4949 times)

Offline bernsad

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Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« on: April 20, 2012, 04:06:49 am »
Hi everyone.

I made enquiries at a nearby park the other day about placing some hives, as they have some nice gums just coming into flower. The ranger from Parks Victoria said that I would need a permit from DSE and gave me a quick rundown on the conditions required but couldn't provide me a copy. He had had an enquiry once before he said but that the linear nature of the park made it virtually impossible to find somewhere that would satisfy the requirements.

I think the requriements were something like
  • More than 200m from any track.
  • More than 200m from the nearest housing.
  • More than 50m from a water source etc...

I've tried looking on the DSE website but they don't even have a search function provided. How pitiful is that?

The requirements are more onerous than the Beekeeping Code of Practice (I think) and I was wondering how in heck are you supposed to transport your hives more than 200m from any track.

If anyone can shed some light on this I would appreciate it.

Regards,
B

Offline prestonpaul

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2012, 07:55:49 am »
I would be interested to hear the answer to this one as well. You are correct on the website not being much help. All I can ever find is a link to the lost bee sites ballot which has come and gone.
Just out of interest, was it state forest, national park or some othr sort of reserve you were looking at?
Paul

Offline bernsad

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2012, 09:22:32 am »
Not quite sure what it's classified as Paul; nature reserve perhaps.

Offline Lone

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2012, 08:44:27 pm »
Bernsad,
Those requirements are nothing compared with the fees they'll charge you.

Lone

Offline prestonpaul

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2012, 12:46:14 am »
Not quite sure what it's classified as Paul; nature reserve perhaps.
Fair enough.
I don't have enough hives to worry about public land at the moment. but may do in the future. Our farm is located on the edge of the Otways, and as I understand it, bees are not allowed in the Otway National park but I can't find any info on the state forests in the area. Hence my interest.  :-D
Paul.

Offline bernsad

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2012, 03:01:56 am »
Bernsad,
Those requirements are nothing compared with the fees they'll charge you.

Lone

You've tried it before Lone?

Paul, I'm not really that big either but my 5 hives are pretty crowded on our small block, I was just looking for some room to spread out and this park has some nice gums just coming into flower. I've just taken 40kgs off 2 of the hives and I thought I might sneak in a little more before we hit winter.

Offline Lone

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2012, 06:27:58 am »
Quote
You've tried it before Lone?

No mate, but I did look into it up here and I reckoned the costs would be pretty comparable.  It might have been the fees for keeping bees in a national park, which is now banned.  The difficulty and the costs put me off pursuing it.  But you can see from this document that for having hives on state owned land you need to pay an application fee of $87.80, a document fee of $44.25, and an annual permit of at least $75.  http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/bees/16929.html

As far as keeping hives 200m away from a track, you will just have to rename them paths and access roads.  That's rules and regulations for you  :)

Lone

Offline bernsad

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2012, 07:39:23 am »
As far as keeping hives 200m away from a track, you will just have to rename them paths and access roads.  That's rules and regulations for you  :)

Lone


Ah, that's the sort of information/distinction I'm looking for. Some more ammunition so I can get what I want.

Offline the-ecohouse.com

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2012, 10:35:43 am »
hey bernsad

not quite that easy in VIC. Call your local DPI office and ask to speak to the person in charge of apiary sites.

They divvy them out on a first come first serve basis, you really have to keep chasing them, site fees depend on the type of site (temp or permanent). I think the last time one came up out here, it was $60.00 but it was in the middle of no-ware. which didn't suit me.



Offline bernsad

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2012, 09:00:59 pm »
Hey eco,

Is there still anything to divvy up after the ballot last year? I know you mentioned $60 for one site but what would be the range in fees? Your site in the middle of nowhere, was there nothing around for the bees or it was difficult to get to?

I hadn't really considered obtaining a permanent site yet, my few hives in the backyard is too small an operation. But I did spot a promising little area that a couple of hives would have gone on nicely for a few weeks and thought I would investigate.

Offline the-ecohouse.com

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2012, 01:46:31 am »
Hey Bernsad

Last years ballot was only for the "lost" bee sites that the government had previously canned due to "environmental" reasons.

There are always site coming up for hire but you have to basically call them everyday, as when they come up they go real fast.

All the sites i have seen have been in the 60-90 range per year, not much....if you get a good site (though they rarely come up for obvious reasons), plus if some one dies most of the pro-beeks are all over it before it even hits the public space.

the site was just too far away to make it viable (like 100km), i like to check their progress at least every two weeks in spring / summer.

I'm going to need to find another site real soon though i have 22 hives ready to be moved somewhere,
I want to keep them separate from my other 25.

Offline bernsad

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2012, 05:28:17 am »
Yes, 200k round trip to check the hives every fortnight would be a pain. I don't know how you check that many, I reckon it would take me 2 weeks to check them all and then I'd have to start all over again.  :roll: I don't know why but it seems to take an inordinately long time to go through a hive, not to mention extracting and bottling etc... Perhaps I'm just slow.

Offline the-ecohouse.com

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Re: Victorian DSE Permit Requirements.
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2012, 09:36:39 am »
oh no i think it takes us all too long to check hives.. :)
.
My routine is now I open and tilt the brood box back from the bottom board to check for cells saves pulling all the frames (and i'm not fussed about supercedure cells the girls know when to replace a dull queen) pull one or two frames at the max from the brood box check for eggs, put them back and move on.

I can see how much space they have from the top. no point disturbing them more than i need to. If they are chock a block i might cut my drone frame out so they can draw more wax / have more room. (http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm see the part open the brood nest)

My mantra keep it as quick as you can unless your queen gazing for a particular queen.

I had a shed load of frames to extract but i need a motor for my 9 frame extractor...i'm not doing it my hand anymore.


 

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