21/05/2026
Update for the Australian Native Bee Conference being held at the The Tanks in Cairns July 31 to August 2, 2026.
As well as the awesome speaker program we have other events happening that you might like to get involved in.
The Social Mixer
(Thursday evening July 30th) This is an optional and informal opportunity to socialise with conference attendees on the evening before the conference starts. No need to pay at registration for this, but please do indicate whether you are interested in attending to help us choose the right sized venue. Registrants will then receive details of the social mixer closer to the conference date.
The Conference Dinner
(Saturday August 1st) is an optional extra that can be booked via the Registration portal ($90 pp). The dinner will be held on-site at the Gardens in Tank 4 (adjacent to the main conference venue), 6PM-10PM and includes a buffet meal plus dessert, locally catered by Cairn’s Tropic Spirit. There will be a cash bar, native bee trivia and great company – the perfect way to wrap up the 2nd day of the conference! You can also purchase a guest ticket to the dinner, even if your guest did not attend the conference.
The Field Day (Sunday August 2nd)
Options are also add-ons that can be booked via the Registration form. This day is intended to provide a chance to admire some of the beautiful native bees local to the Cairns region, particularly for those attendees from out of town. There are two options, depending on whether you wish to stay in Cairns or take a coach down the coast for the day. Both options are kindly hosted by local volunteers.
Option 1: Cairns Botanic Gardens stingless bee walk, talk and picnic. $25
10:30AM – 3PM
An introduction to the stingless bees of Cairns from local expert Zac Petersen (Cairns Native Bee), including hive viewings, followed by a walk of the Red Arrow Circuit (1.5km, aiming to spot wild bees along the way) and ending with a picnic in the Gardens.
$25 covers the picnic lunch (sandwich, fruit, snack, water).
This option can be combined with a same-day booking for either the morning (8:30-10:30AM) or afternoon (2-5PM) sessions of the Macro Photography tour run by Let’s Go Buggin also held in Cairns Botanic Garden but this Macro Photography tour must be booked and paid separately, see details below.
Option 2: Trip to Bartle Frere, bee spotting and picnic. $90
9AM – 3PM
Meet at the Gardens where a coach will be waiting to take you on a scenic trip 1 hour south to Bartle Frere to view the native stingless and solitary bees of the area, followed by a short walk and picnic at the beautiful Babinda Boulders, before returning to Cairns around 3PM.
$90 covers the coach hire plus picnic lunch (sandwich, fruit, snack, water).
Macro Photography Tour
Price: $65 (this is discount price for ANBC registrants only)
For those keen to take photos (or keen to learn how!), local company Aussie Macro Photography are also offering to run special bee-focused sessions of their Cairns Botanic Garden “Let’s Go Buggin” Macro Photography tours on both Sunday August 2nd (the Field Day) and Thursday July 30th (the day before the conference), with two sessions each day (8:30-10:30AM and 2-5PM). These tours have limited places available (10 people per tour). Full Macro Camera Hire is available for an extra cost.
