Native Bees: Small Lives, Big Work, a community event and accompanying exhibition focused on Australia’s native bees and their critical role in biodiversity, food systems, and healthy ecosystems.
Hosted at the Barossa Bushgardens, the project combines education, science, creative interpretation, and hands-on learning to engage a broad audience, including families, gardeners, educators, artists, and land-carers.

The project responds to growing environmental pressures on pollinators, including habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change, and aims to empower the community with practical knowledge and inspiration to support native bee populations through gardening, land stewardship, and informed everyday choices.

Australia is home to over 2,500 species of native bees, with 1770 native bees identified, many of which are solitary and highly specialised pollinators of native plants and agricultural crops. Despite their importance, native bees remain under-recognised compared to introduced honeybees. In South Australia, ongoing habitat fragmentation and environmental change have increased the urgency for public education and conservation-focused community engagement.

The Barossa Bushgardens, as a living collection of local native flora and a respected centre for environmental learning, provides an ideal setting for place-based education about native bees and their plant relationships. This project aligns with national and regional priorities around biodiversity protection, community environmental education, and sustainable land management.