Sustainability has taken flight at Adelaide Convention Centre, where more than 250,000 European honey bees now occupy six hives on the roof of its Central Building.
The new Riverbank Hive supports urban biodiversity and raises awareness of the importance of pollinators to healthy ecosystems and food security. The apiary is also expected to produce more than 300 kg of honey annually, harvested just metres from the Centre’s kitchen.
“There’s growing interest in ingredients with a genuine connection to place, it doesn’t get much closer than honey from our own rooftop,” said Executive Chef Gavin Robertson. The honey will appear throughout the venue’s menus, from savoury glazes and canapés to pastries and desserts, adding a hive-to-table dimension to its Honest Goodness food philosophy.
Created with South Australian beekeeper Jake Leske, the apiary is managed by two trained in-house beekeepers from the Centre’s culinary team. Its six hives are named after Adelaide green spaces, including Elder Park, Botanic Park and Pinky Flat, connecting the project to the city’s identity as a “city in a park.”
General Manager Sarah Goldfinch described the initiative as “a living example of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and finding new ways to create positive impact beyond our walls.”
The project adds a characterful new layer to the Centre’s environmental programme. In 2023, the venue became the world’s first convention centre to attain EarthCheck Master certification, recognising more than 15 years of sustainability practice.