A taste of the Queensland bush 

By Sam Talbot – February 2026

Coolibah Hills Honey is about as pure as honey comes. The family-run and proudly local business grew from a few backyard hives maintained by owner Kaye Brown’s father, originally just enough to keep family and friends supplied.  

While Kaye and her husband are both keen shooters and longtime members of SSAA Queensland (her husband for 25 years), Kaye used to be much less keen on bees. According to her “they sting!”.  

But eventually when her uncle looked to retire and no one else wanted the hives, she reluctantly stepped in. From there, it didn’t take long before her reluctancy became fascination. 

“Every hive is different,” Kaye says. “They’re so industrious. If we ran our society as they run theirs, this world would be a better place.” 

Today, Coolibah Hills Honey maintains hives across the Darling Downs, from Stanthorpe up to Crows Nest, following the seasons and flowering cycles just like any other livestock farmer chasing feed. The result is honey that is genuinely tied to place: individually batched by location (and sometimes by hive), never blended, heated or processed. What ends up in the jar is very pure Queensland honey, shaped by whatever wildflowers are blooming. The only processing is wax removal, while glass is used for packaging not plastic, because Kaye believes honey tastes better that way. 

Kaye in full PPE gear!

Pure honey naturally crystallises over time. This is called “candied” honey – the sugars forms fine crystals, giving it a thicker, spreadable texture. Some people prefer it this way because it’s no longer runny, which makes it easier to scoop, portion, and cook with. If you’d rather keep your honey liquid, you can simply warm the jar in a bowl of hot water, stirring occassionally, or leave it in the sun for a few hours to dissolve the crystals again without affecting flavour or nutrients.  

Special pricing for SSAA Members and readers of The Report magazine: 3 x 1KG jars for $90.00 or 6 x 400g jars for $120.00. (This offer was available for a short time as at February 2026. Limitations may apply.)

(Delivered Aus-wide, except for WA due to strict restrictions.)

To place your order, simply visit https://www.coolibahhillshoney.com.au/ or call Kaye on 0407 915 955.