ABA Executive Committee Member Profile

Jamie Martin Education Officer

Jamie Martin’s beekeeping journey began in East Ballina with a traditional Langstroth hive at a time when the arrival of varroa in Australia was becoming an increasingly real concern. From the beginning, he understood that beekeeping was changing and that caring for bees would require ongoing learning, careful monitoring and a willingness to adapt.

As his interest grew, Jamie expanded to several hives across the Northern Rivers. A Flow Hive was later added to the mix, not as the starting point of his beekeeping, but as another system to understand and demonstrate during club field days. This allowed members and visitors to explore how Flow equipment works while keeping the focus firmly on what is happening inside the brood box.

Jamie’s approach to beekeeping is grounded in observation, evidence and careful recordkeeping. He has developed a strong interest in seasonal conditions, colony health, pest and disease surveillance, and the relationship between local weather and hive behaviour. With varroa arriving during his early years as a beekeeper, regular mite washes, treatment monitoring and honest discussion about treatment success or failure became central to his work.

Experiences with pests, disease and changing seasonal conditions have reinforced Jamie’s belief that good biosecurity begins with informed and observant beekeepers. He values open conversations about the challenges people encounter and believes that sharing both successes and setbacks helps the wider beekeeping community become better prepared.

Jamie is curious and enjoys exploring how tools and methods can improve hive management. He records weather, inspections and mite counts, then looks for patterns that might explain changes in colonies. For Jamie, technology is most useful when it supports observation and practical decision-making rather than replacing the beekeeper’s judgement and experience.