The sweet, sticky, golden taste is not the only thing Brian Prettejohn loves about his honey.
Starting with one hive, eight years ago, Brian’s hobby has since grown into a production of 20 hives and a business called Prairie Honey.
Today his business, is known across Queensland for its raw and natural flavours of the outback, attracting customers from as far as Mount Isa, Northern Territory and Townsville.
“Honey was something I wanted to do for a long time. Then one day I met someone with some hives, he gave me one and my hobby started from there,” Brian said.
“I love my bees. They are the most interesting animals, just the way they work and produce the honey. I could l talk about them all day.”
Brian’s season runs from September to December each year and produces enough honey for all his orders until the following season.
“Those few months give us enough honey for the whole year. With a very good flow, one good hive can produce up to 100 kilograms of honey a year.
“I move the hives to different flowering trees and that is how we get our different types of honey.”
In order to do this efficiently, Brian cleans out his hives before he moves them.
“If the Iron Bark is flowering I move them there. When that stops flowering I clean the hives and move them to the next one, which could be Coolibar or Tee Tree.
“Therefore keeping it separate, hopefully my customers get what they are asking for.”
But his business has not always been smooth sailing, struggling through years of drought.
“Last year was a bad season for honey right across Queensland, and the season ended early,” Brian said.
“Due to lack of rain, plants did not flower and we were required to feed our bees.
“But we are looking forward to a better season this year.”
Brian’s honey can be purchased through an honesty box in Prairie or Hughenden tourist information centre.