Our Local Laws provide residents with guidelines for animal keeping. We use these guidelines to make sure that animals are kept humanely and do not create a nuisance or health risk to the community or environment.

Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made hives, by humans. A beekeeper (apiarist) keeps bees to collect:

• honey
• beeswax
• propolis
• flower pollen
• bee pollen
• royal jelly.

Bees play a vital role in the balance of nature and are especially important in the pollination of agricultural and horticultural crops and garden plants.

Beekeeping is becoming very popular. As bees have a sting they need proper and responsible management. A bee refers to a honey bee (Apis mellifera) or any other species declared under the Biosecurity Act 2014 to be a bee.

You don’t need approval to keep Australian native bees in Logan. The table below shows how many bee hives you can have on your property with an approval. You can find out your property size on our MyLogan tool.

If you want to keep more than 15 hives, you will need a development approval. For more information please contact council@logan.qld.gov.au.

Registered biosecurity entity (RBE)

Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, you must register as a Biosecurity entity to keep bees. You can apply through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland – Register as biosecurity entity. An application fee applies. 

Hive identification number (HIN)

Each registrable biosecurity entity is given a hive identification number (HIN). It is recommended that all hives are branded with the HIN as proof of ownership, but one in 50 hives need to be branded with the HIN. To find out more, visit Queensland government - Hive registration and branding.

Council approval

To apply for a Council Bee keeping approval, please download our application form (PDF 338 KB). You must provide your RBE approval and assigned HIN with your application.

Development Approval

If you want to keep more than 15 hives, you may need a development approval. For more information please see  Development in Logan.

General requirements

As a responsible beekeeper, you must make sure that the bees do not cause:

• damage to property or loss of amenity
• harm to human health, safety or personal injury
• environmental harm or nuisance
• a nuisance

Hive placement

Beekeepers must locate and manage their hives to minimise the risk of interference with the public and neighbouring properties and the impact of bees on stock, or people.

We recommend the following guidelines:

• hives can’t be placed next to a property gate
• hives can’t be placed within 50 metres of an adjoining neighbour’s house or directly against the neighbouring property unless there is a solid fence or impenetrable vegetative barrier higher than 2 metres that forms the property boundary
• hives can’t be placed within 50 metres of a bus stop
• hives can’t be within 30 metres of a main thoroughfare.
• keep hives as far as possible away from roads, footpaths and parks
• hives should be faced away from bright light sources, e.g. floodlights. A reasonable distance from bright light source is 100 metres
• hives should be in a quiet area of the property
• water and grain feeds can attract high numbers of bees. Other feed / stores and water should be available to the bees
• don’t place hives near stock feeding points
• provide bees with water.

Flight paths and provision of barriers

Place hive entrances so bees fly across your property instead of neighbouring properties. If this isn’t possible, provide a barrier so the bees fly up and over the barrier. Barriers can be hedges or shrubs, or shade cloth fixed to a trellis. As bees are attracted to light, particularly fluorescent lights, a physical barrier should be used between hive entrances and lights on your property and neighbouring properties.

Water requirements

Water is used in the hive for cooling and is a vital part of the bee's diet. Water needs to be provided as natural sources may not be suitable or reliable. Ideally water should be available within 500 metres of the hive. If water is not available bees can look for other water sources, like hose fittings, stock watering points, swimming pools. This can cause a nuisance or risk to neighbours.

Hive Maintenance

Proper hive maintenance can help you minimise risks to yourself, your bee colony, your neighbours, and the environment.

Disease and Pest Control

Beekeepers must control pests and diseases to remain viable and not infect other beekeepers' hives. Beekeepers should be cautious about mixing or purchasing hive equipment unless the disease status is known. If you suspect a disease, you must report this as soon as possible to Biosecurity Queensland. You must not sell, give away or deal with any bees, hives, products, or appliances specific to beekeeping to prevent the spread of disease.

Manage Swarms

Bees may swarm in spring to early summer and may create a nuisance for neighbours. If your bees do swarm, it is your responsibility to capture the swarm as soon as possible after it forms a cluster.

Use a smoker to help handle bees

Smoke can be used to subdue bees. You should check fire regulations before using a smoker in residential areas. Noisy machines like whipper snippers and mowers can upset bees and make them aggressive. It is a good idea to smoke the entrance to the hive before using these devices, or if you know that your neighbour plans to use them.

Robbing and working hives

Avoid working bees when conditions are poor, like when it’s cool or rainy and when there is little pollen and nectar available to foraging bees. This places the colony under stress, encourages robbing, and makes bees more aggressive. Cooperate with neighbours when you need to work the bees. Recommend that they stay inside while you work the bees or work out a convenient time that won't disturb them.

Join a beekeeping club

You can learn more about beekeeping by joining a local beekeeping club. It will make you a more productive beekeeper and help you better manage bees within urban areas.

More information

To find more information about bee keeping, visit Queensland Government - Beekeeping in Queensland or contact them on 13 25 23.