Bega Valley Shire

Bega Valley New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates	36°40′S 149°50′E / 36.667°S 149.833°E / -36.667; 149.833
Population	35,942 (LGA 2021)[1]
Established	1981
Area	6,279 km2 (2,424.3 sq mi)
Mayor	Russell Fitpatrick (Mayor) Anthony McMahon (CEO)
Council seat	Bega[2]
Region	South Coast
State electorate(s)	Bega
Federal division(s)	Eden-Monaro
Website	Bega Valley
LGAs around Bega Valley: Snowy Monaro Eurobodalla Tasman Sea Snowy Monaro Bega Valley Tasman Sea East Gippsland (Vic) East Gippsland (Vic) Tasman Sea

The Bega Valley Shire is a local government area located adjacent to the south-eastern coastline of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed in 1981 with the amalgamation of the Municipality of Bega, Imlay Shire and Mumbulla Shire,^[3] with its name deriving from the town of Bega. The shire is also known as the Sapphire Coast for tourism and marketing purposes. During the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, the area was devastated by fire, with 448 houses being destroyed by fire^[4] and approximately 365,000 hectares burned, which is 58% of the Shire's total land mass.^[5]

The estimated population as at the 2021 census was 35,942.^[6]

The current mayor is Russell Fitzpatrick, an independent who joined the Liberal Party in 2023.^[7]

The shire covers 6,040 square kilometres (2,330 sq mi), and includes a coastline of 225 km (140 mi), with 101 beaches and 26 estuaries. Around 78% of the area belongs to various national parks and state forests. The biggest industry is the production of timber, followed by dairy farming and other agriculture. Smaller industries include fishing, oyster harvesting, and tourism.^[8] The Biamanga National Park includes important Aboriginal sites.^[9]

The area extends from Bermagui in the north to the Victorian border in the south and includes the towns of Bega, Tathra, Merimbula, Tura Beach, Wolumla, Cobargo, Bemboka, Pambula, Pambula Beach and the former whaling port, tourism hotspot, and major port of Eden.

Smaller localities include:

Bega Valley Shire Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:^[10]

The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election, is:^[10]

Selected historical census data for Bega Valley Shire local government area
Census year			2011[15]	2016[16][6]	2021
Population		Estimated residents on census night	31,950	33,253	35,942
		LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales	56th	57th
		% of New South Wales population	0.46%	0.44%	0.44%
		% of Australian population	0.15%	0.14%	0.14%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry, top responses		English	32.5%	31.9%	43.8%
		Australian	31.3%	30.9%	40.7
		Irish	9.3%	9.2%	13.0%
		Scottish	8.4%	8.2%	11.4%
		German	3.8%	3.7%	5.1%
Language, top responses (other than English)		German	0.6%	0.5%	0.4%
		Dutch	0.3%	0.2%	–
		Italian	0.2%	0.2%	–
		French	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%
		Thai	n/r	0.2%	0.2%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation, top responses		No religion, so described	26.7%	35.1%	46.9%
		Anglican	27.3%	21.9%	16.4%
		Catholic	20.0%	17.9%	15.1%
		Not stated	n/r	10.4%	8.3%
		Uniting Church	4.6%	3.7%	2.7%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income		Median weekly personal income	$454	$538	$645
		% of Australian median income	78.7%	81.3%	80.1%
Family income		Median weekly family income	$1,014	$1,242	$1,501
		% of Australian median income	68.5%	71.6%	70.8%
Household income		Median weekly household income	$848	$986	$1,200
		% of Australian median income	68.7%	68.6%	68.7%

• List of local government areas in New South Wales
• Bega Valley Arts and Crafts Society

• Official website