ABC Rural By Kellie Hollingworth and Hugh Hogan
Beekeepers are going to great lengths to ensure that the almond pollination season in north-west Victoria is a blooming success this year.
More than 277,000 hives are being transported to the region from across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
It's the largest movement of livestock in Australia.
But Tumut beekeeper John Casey needed help from above to rescue 1,200 hives that were stuck north of Condobolin because the road was too wet to access them.
In a rare move, the hives were moved by helicopter at a cost of $1,600 per hour, before being loaded onto trucks and transported to Boundary Bend.
"I've never seen it done," he said.
"It would be cheaper than doing a diff or gearbox on a truck. I think anyway.
Tumut beekeeper John Casey needed a helicopter to rescue 1,200 hives that were stuck on wet ground at Trundle.
"We're going to keep getting rain. It's supposed to rain more next month, but we need to get them out for the almond pollination," he said.
Bees go to work
Merbein almond grower Neale Bennett said the hives would be based at his property for six weeks before they were loaded back onto trucks for the trip home.…
