Luxury Tasmanian lodge Saffire Freycinet has launched a new beekeeping experience for guests, following months of preparation.

Guests can now get kitted up in a full-body apiarist suit and venture into a nearby private apiary, overlooking the Hazards of Freycinet.

Under the guidance of Saffire horticulturalist, Rob ‘The Bee Man’ Barker, guests will approach the hives to witness thousands of Tasmanian bees at work, and extract warm, fresh honeycomb.

The experience creates yet another link between Saffire guests and local producers of premium Tasmanian food and beverage.

Saffire general manager Justin King says the partnership between the lodge and Barker was a natural one.

“Rob turned up at Saffire one day selling his locally produced honey,” said King.

“We tried it, realised it was exceptional and began using it in our kitchen immediately – but it was Rob’s passion for bees and the creation of honey that helped us realise there was a bigger opportunity here for our guests.”

The Freycinet Peninsula is rich in biodiversity and the bees forage happily on the area’s flowering native flora. The flavour of the honey is ever-changing with the strong seasonal variation, resulting in a honey with a completely distinctive taste.

“With up to 60,000 bees per hive, beating their wings 230 times each second, this is actually quite an adrenalin-filled experience,” said Barker.

“Such immersion in nature is as fascinating as it is exciting, particularly as bees are the cornerstone of our ecosystem, without which our world would be a very different place.”

The experience is exclusive to Saffire Freycinet and is included in guest stays.