I cannot speak for macadamias, but in regard to 'what is a hive', most 
horticultural industries will have a definition of what is a sufficiently strong 
hive to be considered a pollination unit. 


Here in NZ in apples, for example, the standard is something like a two box hive 
(probably intended to be 2x full depth, but I don't think that is specified), 
with not less than 6 frames full of brood.  The standard for kiwifruit is 
similar, but I think might require a frame or two more brood - given that the 
kiwifruit has a later flowering date, that isn't too hard to do. 


There might be other requirements to achieve effective pollination though too - 
in kiwifruit bees routinely have to be fed sugar syrup quite strongly.  The 
pollen isn't particularly attractive to them, so to keep them on target and 
foraging strongly for pollen the beekeeper needs to reduce their need to forage 
for nectar and stimulate brood production at the same time. 


Is there a macadamia grower's association or industry board in the locale you 
want to work in?  Enquire of them as to a minimum standard and standard 
practice.


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