Completely Australian, Naturally Outstanding!

Agricultural Excellence Since 1861

Adleys Honey is more than just honey—it’s a legacy.

Rooted in the pioneering spirit of James Rutherford, former owner of Australia’s iconic Cobb & Co Coaches, our family continues a tradition of quality, innovation, and care for the land. As a second-generation producer, we blend time-honored methods with modern practices to craft pure, sustainable honey that reflects the values of our heritage and the richness of Australian agriculture.

Proudly Australian

We celebrate the best of Australia by sourcing pure, local honey that supports growers, strengthens communities, and delivers authentic flavour.

Nurturing Nature

Our commitment to sustainability starts with the bees; protecting habitats, minimising our footprint, and nurturing the environments that sustain us all.

Looking to the Future

With family at the heart of our business, we’re building a future grounded in quality, responsibility, and a legacy our children can proudly carry forward.

1860s–1920s

Heritage in the Australian bush

Our story begins long before honey; with James Rutherford of Cobb & Co!

As the driving force behind Cobb & Co Coaches, James helped shape early Australia, pioneering transport routes that connected communities and built opportunity across the country. Those same pioneering roots grounded the Rutherford family when they settled at Bathampton, just outside Bathurst, in the 1800s.

For generations, life on that land instilled resilience, hard work, and a deep respect for the bush. Places like Adleys Crossing, a small but meaningful corner of the Bathampton property and now the namesake of our business, aren’t simply points on a map. They’re pieces of our family’s backbone, carrying forward the values James lived by and guiding everything we do today.

A timeless heritage shaped by the bush, the land, and the early Rutherford generations.

1989 onwards

When the bees arrived

In 1989, Geoff Rutherford, the great-great grandson of James Rutherford, stepped onto a new path when he discovered beekeeping.

What began as a simple curiosity and a couple of hives soon grew into Blue Hills Apiary, a full-time operation shaped by determination, long days in the field and a deep appreciation for the natural world. Geoff learned the craft the traditional way, through observation, trial and error and a genuine respect for the bees themselves. This was the true beginning of our honey story, a hands-on, learn-as-you-go approach that became a defining part of our family’s work ethic. The skills, values and love for the craft that Geoff developed have been passed down ever since, forming the foundation of Adleys Honey today.

Carrying our family’s legacy forward through sustainable beekeeping and wholehearted craftsmanship.

For more than 160 years our family has been shaped by the land, the seasons and the resilience of those who came before us. Today, every batch of Adleys Honey reflects that legacy, honouring our past while nurturing the future of Australian beekeeping.

SHOP ADLEYS HONEY NOW

2014 to today

The next generation & Adleys Honey today

In 2014, Chris and Victoria Rutherford purchased the packaging side of the business, growing a small garage operation then known as Perfect Honey Co into what is now Adleys Honey on the NSW South Coast.

What started with a handful of equipment, a vision for honest Australian honey and a commitment to doing things the right way soon grew into a thriving family operation built on hard work, care and consistency.

With our three boys by our side, we are proud to carry forward more than 160 years of farming heritage, shaping a modern honey brand that still reflects the character and values of the generations before us. Today, Adleys Honey is guided by purpose and integrity, supporting Australian beekeepers, championing sustainable practices and ensuring that every jar holds the same pride we felt when we first began.

We continue to grow with intention, transparency and honour our past while building a bright future for Australian honey.

This is our story, preserved in honey and shared with every household we reach.

Thank you for being part of the journey that turned our family’s dream into a reality.