Walter Neal Wallace commenced beekeeping in the early 1940’s. As a primary producer, he was unable to enlist in WWII.
He worked on his own for a number of years, until he formed the partnership of WALLACE & WENBAN with Stan Wenban, a long time local of Manildra. This partnership carried on until Stan retired from bee-keeping, then Walter formed another partnership with Len CAVANAGH.
Bees were transported to all parts of the state, depending on seasonal conditions ie. where there had been enough rain to have substantial flowering plants ie. clovers, pattersons curse. Trees were also a great source of honey ie yellowbox, stringybark etc.
In later years, Walter’s bee hives were sought after by orchardists to pollinate the trees in the orchards.
Walter was one of the first apiarists to use a mechanical hive loader, a great labour saver. A respected member of the Apiarist Association of NSW, Walter retired in the early 1960s.
Information supplied by Margaret Livermore