The Bee Revolution in Brunswick East

Walking into Bee Sustainable along Lygon Street, you're greeted by the unmistakable aroma of honey and the soft strains of classical music.

The store stands out immediately, with its wood-carved tables and cupboards holding a mountainous supply of bee-related paraphernalia. Even the store counter is made of wood, with jars of various types of honey scattered throughout.

The owner of the store is Robert Redpath, who has been running Bee Sustainable with his son since 2003. A self-proclaimed "bee enthusiast," Robert's passion for beekeeping dates back to his childhood.

"My father was a honey merchant and a beekeeper since the late 1950s. I remember him giving me a beehive one day and insisting that I learn about it," said Robert. "I owe much of my passion to him."

This pivotal moment kick-started a love affair for bees that has endured for over 60 years. However, rather than jumping straight into the beekeeping business like his father, Robert had a surprising career in I.T. The first of his family to graduate from university studying accounting, Robert worked in computer consultancy for decades before returning to university as a full-time lecturer.

Yet, by the early 2000s, Robert felt the pull for change. "I conceived the idea of starting a bee business. However, due to the seasonal nature of beekeeping, I realised I needed a broader concept - That's when the idea of a store selling equipment and materials for people to make their own food, beyond just honey."

Crafting all the shop's furniture by hand, Robert swiftly transformed what was once a modest op shop into Bee Sustainable, which first opened its doors in 2003. Situated in Brunswick East, which was recently crowned "the coolest suburb in Australia," Bee Sustainable caters perfectly to an inner-city dweller. The store emphasises sustainability, preservation, and promotes positive food production methods.

(Bee Sustainable Founder Robert Redpath)

Presented on their website, Bee Sustainable’s company values stress their mission toward allowing people to lead a more sustainable life and to become a place where inventive and creative individuals can appreciate good health.

“It was really a blessing that we landed on the north side here in Brunswick,” said Robert. “There's not many places in Australia whose people share the same values of taking care of ourselves and our planet.”

With beekeeping surging in popularity amongst urban residents, Bee Sustainable's success is as much a reflection of shifting demographics as it is of its perfect location.

Jean-Pierre Scheerlinck, a researcher at the University of Melbourne specialising in biosecurity and bee behaviour, discussed the dramatic rise in beekeeping's popularity over the past decade, especially in cities like Melbourne.

“When I first became involved in the Melbourne Bee Club, it used to be mostly old males that kept bees. Now there's a lot more younger people getting interested and a lot more women than just men around,” said Scheerlinck.

“I think it’s fantastic because beekeeping provides a lot of benefits to an urban environment through their pollination of native flora. It might be counterintuitive, but bees in the cities are much better in a city like Melbourne than the countryside because of the diversity of flowers.”

Scheerlinck said the main reasons for its popularity lie in the development of more accessible beekeeping structures, including the viral Flow Hive invented in the Northern Rivers NSW, which became an overnight sensation after breaking numerous crowdfunding records.

This coupled with the sheer accessibility of beekeeping workshops across cities such as Melbourne. Robert himself has been conducting his own workshops inside the store since the very start. With his university teaching background, Robert said he’s always felt comfortable delivering the “chit-chat,” particularly as a way to share his 60-year-old passion to a new generation.

However, more than anything, Bee Sustainable has become a genuine father-son business. Just like his father before him, Robert introduced his son, Morgan, to beekeeping at a very young age and he soon caught on. They eventually formed a successful working partnership where Morgan dealt with the practical side of maintaining the quality of the hives and bees, while Robert took care of the shopfront.

“I mean this is perfect - he’s got the practical ideas of running the business whereas I bring the intellectual.”

Importantly though, working together with his son has also allowed Robert to make up for lost time. “I actually split up with his mum when he was one year old and I basically looked after him for half the time,” said Robert. “We're fully bonded now, I think working together has made us really good friends.”

Robert doesn't know when he’ll retire. He said maybe when his legs give out or when he stops enjoying the bees. Or maybe when the local council takes it off him.

Regardless, Robert will take solace knowing Morgan can continue the Redpath family tradition.

“I know I can’t work forever,” Robert said. “But I know that he can take over at some point - so that’s worked out perfectly.”