Victorian apiarists finding it harder to access public land 'vital' for bees

Beekeepers say they are losing access to public land in Victoria at one of the toughest times in the industry's history.

In the past 12 months, Victorian beekeepers have battled drought, massive bushfires in western Victoria and the spread of the devastating varroa mite bee parasite .

And now, they say the government department responsible for granting them access to public beekeeping sites has become increasingly uncooperative.

'Lack of support'

In Victoria, the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA) grants licences for registered beekeepers to place their hives on public land.

DEECA's apiculture on public land policy was introduced in 2014 to encourage beekeeping in the state's forests, parks and reserves.

But Peter McDonald, owner of McDonald Honey in Cas