History

While employed by the Tasmanian Fire Service Lindsay Bourke started his one-man apiarist business with 200 hives in 1966. Every year he would wisely invest the profits from each honey harvest into the property market to purchase a house. The real estate acquired by Lindsay over the years led him to become a leading property owner in Launceston, Tasmania.

Lindsay’s enthusiasm for challenges saw him leave the honey business in 1980 when other interests, including extensive property development, took hold. In addition to owning and managing 74 residential properties, Lindsay ran his own restaurants, hotels and motels and renovated many of Launceston’s historic buildings.

australian honey products history

His passion for beekeeping returned in 2002 and he made Australian Honey Products an award-winning venture exporting to countries such as Korea, Japan, Tahiti, Germany, Jordan and United Kingdom. Initially marketed under the Bourkes Garden Honey and Cradle Mountain Honey, the company expanded with the acquisition of Taverners Products in 2007. This enabled the company to diversify by adding honey beverages, honey ales and honey meads to the product list. In 2008 Lindsay purchased the oldest apiary in Tasmania, the Sheffield Honey Farm, formerly H L Jones & Sons, Barrington Apiary which was established in 1898.

Australian Honey Products now has the largest number of bee hives in Tasmania and is the largest commercial pollinator in Tasmania providing a service to all forms of agriculture statewide.

australian honey products history

Industry Supporter

Lindsay is an active campaigner and advocate for the beekeeping industry and is currently a member of fourteen committees/portfolios within this industry. He sits on all boards and government committees concerning the Australian honeybee industry.

Exporter

Australian Honey Products export to many countries including Korea, Japan, Tahiti, Germany, Jordan and the United Kingdom. Exports now account for 60% of our honey production.

In 2009 the company received the Tasmanian Regional Exporter of the Year Award.

Locations & Certification

The head office is located in Launceston and has been custom fitted to provide handling and packaging facilities modelled on best practice recommendations and requirements of the food industry. The company has HACCP, B-Qual and Organic Certification.

Using these advanced facilities the company is able to package products in a variety of sizes to suit domestic or commercial clients.

Extracting is undertaken at large modern premises in Sheffield at the Sheffield Honey Farm site.

Sheffield is a picturesque town set amidst large rural properties from which clover honey is sourced. It is also close to Tasmania’s pristine rainforests and provides easy access to the prized leatherwood trees.