When the Superbee honey factory at Tanawa quietly closed its doors in early 2008, a chapter in the Sunshine Coast�s agri-tourism industry sadly closed too, leaving only memories for those who had discovered the secret world of honey bees.

But the folks at Buderim Ginger who had worked with Superbee for many years stocking its range of healthy honey products have resurrected the educational element of Superbee�s live bee shows, beehive displays and honey tastings to launch a new permanent fixture at the Ginger Factory.

Nichole Seymore, General Manager at the Ginger Factory said the company was proud to preserve a piece of Sunshine Coast history while also bringing a revitalised tourism experience to the region that is becoming a �foodie paradise� celebrating regional produce.

�We�ve been working with Superbee for many years and from a tourism, retail and product development perspective, there was a natural fit in bringing this great interactive show to the Ginger Factory,� she said.

�Ginger and honey are symbiotic�like peas and carrots or bees and flowers.

�Superbee is still a flourishing Australian honey processor with packing facilities in NSW and retail outlets on the Gold Coast and in Sydney,� Nichole said. �We saw the importance of keeping a piece of it here as another taste experience and a tourism extension for our business.�

The �Superbee live bee show� unveils the secret world of these industrious little creatures. Entirely female and charged with the daily task of ensuring the health and safety of their hive and the Queen, worker bees are one of the most efficient and productive species on the planet. While building the hive and nurturing the young, they also source pollen and nectar to create honey, royal jelly and propolis.

These tireless little gals also have their own unique communication network and communicate via twitching, waggling and vibrating in a very functional �bum dance� to indicate distance and location to the nearest pollen source.

In between their daily chores, �the girls� also boss around the male �drones� who have the sole responsibility of breeding with the Queen�once the deed is done, they then move on to greener pastures.

�While that�s just a snapshot of our new Superbee attraction, there are also a number of underlying messages we aim to convey,� Nichole said.

�Bees play an important role in Australia�s agricultural industry through crop pollination while also allowing our gardens at home to flourish.

�We want to highlight the importance of bees, who give us a pure, healthy unprocessed product while also educating visitors about their role in the Australian honey and agricultural industries.�

There are 80,000 commercial hives in Queensland alone and Australian honey is sought after around the world due to its high quality and unique flavour aspects.

�Superbee is a great fit for our tourism business which links education, farming, food and fun with the taste and health benefits of both honey and ginger.�

Released through / images: Further information: Corina Ammann Nichole Seymore MarkPR Pty Ltd The Ginger Factory Ph: +61 (0)7 3368 3456 Ph: +61 (0)7 5446 7100 Em: corina@markpr.com.au Em: nseymore@buderimginger.com