John Burnet-Beekeeping Kaiako Te Whanganui a Tara

John is currently retired having spent 46 years in banking (Westpac and Kiwibank) - two years were in Papua New Guinea assisting with migrating to their own currency from the Aussie dollar when the country became independent in 1975. Since retirement he has converted a long-held passion for beekeeping into becoming a semi-commercial beekeeper with a beekeeping equipment supply & apiary consultancy business. 

John’s passion for bees is infectious. Ākonga working with him, can’t help but get sucked into the mesmerizing depth of their busy hive world. He is Wellington City Council’s bee go-to man and is called on regularly to support people with swarms in their walls and roofs. He not only teaches Papa Taiao ākonga, he also trains hobbyists via his role in The Wellington Beekeeping Association. He has been instrumental in setting up the Club’s own apiary site, hives at Zealandia and Wellington Zoo and has assisted Wellington City Council in drafting their guidelines for beekeeping on public land.

Apart from bees, John has always had a keen interest in conservation and the natural environment and he has a history of restoration in Te Whanganui a Tara. He project-managed the establishment of Karori Sanctuary’s 7-day Visitor Centre. Now his enthusiasm is directed at Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves (10 reserves in Tawa) where he works with a number of community stakeholders on track maintenance, predator control and restoration planting. The group is currently looking at ways of upgrading Porirua Stream culverts and weirs to improve freshwater fish passage.