Plenty of SHB around Western Sydney and theLower Blue Mountains. That's no surprise really, they entered Australia near here, at Richmond, from the USA in 2000, with equipment for the Sydney Olympics - sure glad the Federal Government "saved" so much money cutting back Customs & Quarantine costs. The story I've heard is the Apiarist at Hawkesbury Agricultural College at Richmond had trouble convincing the State Department of Agriculture that he had found SHB . . . . . Ironic that SHB landed at Richmond, given that its the heart of NSW beekeeping including the Wheen Foundation.
I "control" the mongrel things with traps, and now I'm trying those new beeltra brand SHB traps. You have to help the bees, they can't stop all the SHB. The little beggars can fly for kilometres, some say 20K, and they breed in the soil around a hive once they find one.
Gloves are problematic, but you'll need them at least for major work on your hives.
regards, Wonga