My father, Keith, brought his first hive to our home when I was about six years old. I remember it well. It fascinated me. To keep the kids and the dog safe he placed it on the roof of the old outside toilet. I would stand there and gaze through the climbing roses at the bees busily coming and going from the hive.

Over the years Dad added more and more hives to his collection and the honey flowed every summer. His honey has won numerous prizes at the Royal Melbourne Show.

Since I returned to our home area, Colac Otway, I now work with Keith on the bees in my spare time with the intention of continuing his work into the future.

Andrew Broomfield