I have just come back from our New South Wales (a State in Australia)
Beekeeper's Conference.  They had Professor Rob Currie from the University of
Manitoba, Canada out as the guest speaker.  Rob was very well received and it
was good to be able to catch up with him again.
 
New South Wales usually invite an overseas speaker to come and talk.
Previous guest speakers have been also well received.  This is a very
worthwhile exercise as it gets to expose beekeepers to ideas from the other
side of the world.
 
Nothing like cross pollination of ideas and research.  It could also work in
reverse.
 
There was a field day last Saturday and there were over 750 come through the
gate.  Despite the drizzling rain, it was a great success.  They came from all
States of Australia.
 
We are all looking forward to spring (not that we have really had any
winter) but do not know what it holds as they are predicting another El Nino.
Last time we had one we ended up with three years of drought.  Hope they are
wrong this time.
 
Trevor Weatherhead