History
While employed by the Tasmanian Fire Service Lindsay Bourke started his one man apiarist business with 200 hives in 1966. Every year he would wisely invest the profits from each honey harvest into the property market to purchase a house. The Real Estate acquired by Lindsay over the years led him to become a leading property owner in Launceston, Tasmania.
Lindsay’s enthusiasm for challenges saw him leave the honey business in 1980 when other interests, including extensive property development, took hold. In addition to owning and managing 74 residential properties, Lindsay ran his own restaurants, hotels and motels and renovated many of Launceston’s historic buildings.
His passion for beekeeping returned in 2002 and he made Australian Honey Products an award winning venture exporting to countries such as Korea, Japan, Tahiti, Germany, Jordan and United Kingdom. Initially marketed under the Bourkes Garden Honey and Cradle Mountain Honey labels the company expanded with the acquisition of Taverners Products in 2007. This enabled the company to diversify by adding honey beverages, honey ales and honey meads to the product list In 2008 Lindsay purchased the oldest Apiary in Tasmania, the Sheffield Honey Farm, formerly H L Jones & Sons, Barrington Apiary which was established in in 1898.
Australian Honey Products now has the largest number of bee hives in Tasmania and is the largest Commercial Pollinator in Tasmania providing a service to all forms of agriculture statewide.

Industry Supporter
Lindsay is an active campaigner and advocate for the beekeeping industry and is currently a member of fourteen committees/portfolios within this industry. He sits on all boards and government committees concerning the Australian honeybee industry.

Exporter
Australian Honey Products exports to many countries including Korea, Japan, Tahiti, Germany, Jordan and United Kingdom.Exports now account for 30% of honey production.
In 2009 the company received the Tasmanian Regional Exporter of the Year Award.

Location
Head Office, located in Launceston, has been custom fitted to provide handling and packaging facilities modelled on best practice recommendations and requirements of the food industry industry. The company has HACCP, B-Qual and Organic Certification.
Using these advanced facilities the company is able to package products in a variety of sizes to suit domestic or commercial clients.
Extracting is undertaken at the Sheffield Honey Farm site. Sheffield is a picturesque town set amidst large rural properties from which clover honey is sourced . This is a large modern premises and its location close to Tasmania’s pristine rainforests provides easy access to the prized leatherwood trees.

FAQ:
Q. How do I store my honey?
A. In the cupboard with an air tight lid on.
Q. If honey doesn't spoil, then why are there "Best Before" dates on it?
A. To satisfy regulatory requirements.
Q. Can I eat granulated (crystallized) honey?
A. Yes,in fact we think it is the best way to eat it. Send us an email and we will send you beautifully set honey.
Q. My honey has crystallized. I prefer it to be liquid. What can I do?
A. Gently heat the honey. Place the jar in a dish of hot water or gently microwave, stirring occasionally. It will become liquid again.
Q. Why pasteurize honey? 
A. We don’t pasteurize our honey.
Q. How is honey pasteurized? 
A. By heating.
Q. Does Australian Honey Products sell unpasteurized honey? 
A. All our honey is unpasteurized.
Q. What is the difference between creamed and liquid honey? 
A. Creamed honey is honey that has been crystallized with very fine, tiny crystals. It makes the honey thicker and changes the way it feels in your mouth. It doesn't change any of the nutritional properties or taste of the honey at all. To cream honey it is put through a special churning machine.
Freshly extracted honey is liquid. Over time it will crystallize. This is a natural process and does not affect the quality of the honey.
Q. How many types of honey are there?
A. How long is a piece of string?  Different flower secretes different nectar.
Q. Where do you buy Australian Honey Products from?
A. See the Distributors page or on this website.
Q. Where does Australian Honey Products come from?
A. All of our honey is produced in Tasmania. Leatherwood honey is sourced from Tasmania's rainforest wilderness including Cradle Mountain. Clover comes from Tasmania’s rich agricultural areas.