Bega Valley Shire
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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,[1] 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[2] and approximately 365,000 hectares burned, which is 58% of the Shire's total land mass.[3]
The estimated population as at the 2021 census was 35,942.[4]
The current mayor is Russell Fitzpatrick, an independent who joined the Liberal Party in 2023.[5]
History
Yuin since ancient times (at least 5000BC). First white settlers in early 1800s, farming, timber, fishing, mining.[6]
Area
The shire covers 6,040 square kilometres (2,330 sq mi), and includes a coastline of Template:Cvt, 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.[7] The Biamanga National Park includes important Aboriginal sites.[8]
Towns and localities
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: Script error: No such module "Template wrapper".
Council
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:[9]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Australian party style | | Independent | 6 |
| Template:Australian party style | | Labor | 1 |
| Template:Australian party style | | Independent Liberal | 1 |
| Template:Australian party style| | Greens | 1 |
| Total | 9 | |
The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election, is:[9]
| Councillor | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Australian party style| | Helen O’Neil | Labor | |
| Template:Australian party style| | Karen Wright | Independent | |
| Template:Australian party style| | Russel Fitzpatrick | Independent Liberal[10] | Mayor[11] |
| Template:Australian party style| | Tony Allen | Independent | |
| Template:Australian party style| | Cathy Griff | Greens | Deputy Mayor[11] |
| Template:Australian party style| | Mitch Nadin | Independent | |
| Template:Australian party style | | David Porter | Independent | |
| Template:Australian party style | | Liz Seckold | Independent | |
| Template:Australian party style | | Joy Robin | Independent | |
Election results
2024
2021
Demographics
| Selected historical census data for Bega Valley Shire local government area | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Census year | 2011[12] | 2016[13][4] | 2021 | |||
| Population | Estimated residents on census night | 31,950 | Increase 33,253 | Increase 35,942 | ||
| LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales | Script error: No such module "Number table sorting".th | Decrease Script error: No such module "Number table sorting".th | ||||
| % of New South Wales population | 0.46% | Decrease 0.44% | Steady 0.44% | |||
| % of Australian population | 0.15% | Decrease 0.14% | Steady 0.14% | |||
| Cultural and language diversity | ||||||
| Ancestry, top responses |
English | 32.5% | Decrease 31.9% | Increase 43.8% | ||
| Australian | 31.3% | Decrease 30.9% | Increase 40.7 | |||
| Irish | 9.3% | Decrease 9.2% | Increase 13.0% | |||
| Scottish | 8.4% | Decrease 8.2% | Increase 11.4% | |||
| German | 3.8% | Decrease 3.7% | Increase 5.1% | |||
| Language, top responses (other than English) |
German | 0.6% | Decrease 0.5% | Decrease 0.4% | ||
| Dutch | 0.3% | Decrease 0.2% | – | |||
| Italian | 0.2% | Steady 0.2% | – | |||
| French | 0.2% | Steady 0.2% | Steady 0.2% | |||
| Thai | n/r | 0.2% | Steady 0.2% | |||
| Religious affiliation | ||||||
| Religious affiliation, top responses |
No religion, so described | 26.7% | Increase 35.1% | Increase 46.9% | ||
| Anglican | 27.3% | Decrease 21.9% | Decrease 16.4% | |||
| Catholic | 20.0% | Decrease 17.9% | Decrease 15.1% | |||
| Not stated | n/r | 10.4% | Decrease 8.3% | |||
| Uniting Church | 4.6% | Decrease 3.7% | Decrease 2.7% | |||
| Median weekly incomes | ||||||
| Personal income | Median weekly personal income | $454 | Increase $538 | Increase $645 | ||
| % of Australian median income | 78.7% | Increase 81.3% | Increase 80.1% | |||
| Family income | Median weekly family income | $1,014 | Increase $1,242 | Increase $1,501 | ||
| % of Australian median income | 68.5% | Increase 71.6% | Decrease 70.8% | |||
| Household income | Median weekly household income | $848 | Increase $986 | Increase $1,200 | ||
| % of Australian median income | 68.7% | Decrease 68.6% | Increase 68.7% | |||
See also
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References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Holdings". Bega Valley Genealogy Society. Bega Valley Genealogy Society Inc. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McKnight, Albert (18 March 2020). "Forty per cent of fire-destroyed homes haven't registered for free clean-up: Bega council". Bega District News. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McKnight, Albert (29 February 2020). "Bushfire damage count: two-thirds of Far South Coast burnt, eight lives lost". Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ a b Template:Census 2021 AUS
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bega Valley Mayor endorsed as Liberal candidate in next state election". 24 November 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Council, Bega Valley Shire (1 May 2015). "History of the Shire". Bega Valley Shire Council. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."About the Bega Valley Shire". About the Shire. Bega Valley Shire Council. n.d. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Biamanga Cultural area". NSW National Parks. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bega Valley Councillor Election". NSW Electoral Commission. 21 December 2021. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
The following candidates were declared elected on 21 December 2021: Helen O'NEIL (ALP) Karen WRIGHT (IND) Russell FITZPATRICK (IND) Tony ALLEN (IND) Cathy GRIFF (GRN) Mitch NADIN (IND) David PORTER (IND) Liz SECKOLD (IND) Joy ROBIN (IND)
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Smyth, Ben (24 November 2022). "Bega Valley Mayor endorsed as Liberal candidate in next state election". Merimbula News Weekly. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Meet your Councillors and Mayor". Bega Valley Shire Council. Bega NSW. 12 January 2022. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Bega Valley (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 July 2017.Script error: No such module "EditAtWikidata".Template:WikidataCheck
- ^ Template:Census 2016 AUS
External links
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