Bega Valley Shire

Last updated

Bega Valley
New South Wales
Bega LGA NSW.png
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates 36°40′S149°50′E / 36.667°S 149.833°E / -36.667; 149.833
Population35,942 (LGA 2021) [1]
Established1981
Area6,279 km2 (2,424.3 sq mi)
MayorRussell Fitpatrick (Mayor)
Anthony McMahon (CEO)
Council seat Bega [2]
Region South Coast
State electorate(s) Bega
Federal division(s) Eden-Monaro
Bega Valley Shire Council Logo.png
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]

Contents

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]

Area

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]

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:

  • Angledale
  • Bald Hills
  • Barragga Bay
  • Berrambool
  • Black Range
  • Bournda
  • Boydtown
  • Broadwater
  • Brogo
  • Buckajo
  • Burragate
  • Candelo
  • Chinnock
  • Coolagolite
  • Coopers Gully
  • Cuttagee
  • Devils Hole
  • Dignams Creek
  • Doctor George Mountain
  • Edrom
  • Frogs Hollow
  • Greendale
  • Greigs Flat
  • Jellat Jellat
  • Kalaru
  • Kameruka
  • Kanoona
  • Kiah
  • Kingswood
  • Lochiel
  • Millingandi
  • Mirador
  • Mogareeka
  • Mogilla
  • Morans Crossing
  • Mount Darragh
  • Murrah
  • Myrtle Mountain
  • Narrabarba
  • Nelson
  • Nethercote
  • New Buildings
  • Nullica
  • Numbugga
  • Nungatta (part)
  • Nungatta South
  • Pericoe
  • Quaama
  • Reedy Swamp
  • Rocky Hall
  • South Pambula
  • South Wolumla
  • Stony Creek
  • Tanja
  • Tantawangalo
  • Tarraganda
  • Timbillica
  • Toothdale
  • Towamba
  • Verona
  • Wallagoot
  • Wandella
  • Wapengo
  • Wolumla
  • Wonboyn
  • Wyndham
  • Yellow Pinch
  • Yowrie

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: [10]

PartyCouncillors
Independent 6
Labor 1
Liberal 1
Greens 1
Total9

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

CouncillorPartyNotes
 Helen O’Neil Labor
 Karen Wright Independent
 Russel FitzpatrickLiberal [11] Mayor [12]
 Tony AllenIndependent
 Cathy Griff Greens Deputy Mayor [12]
 Mitch NadinIndependent
 David PorterIndependent
 Liz SeckoldIndependent
 Joy RobinIndependent

Election results

2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Bega Valley [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independents For Change1. Mitchell Nadin (elected)
2. David Porter (elected)
3. Peggy Noble (elected)
4. Jason Hetherington
5. Morgan Eneberg
7,37434.63+34.63
Labor 1. Helen O'Neil (elected)
2. Simon Daly (elected)
3. David Neyle
4. Nicola Collins
5,29624.87+7.57
Greens 1. Peter Haggar (elected)
2. Liane Munro
3. Emma Goward
4. Vivian Harris
5. Jamie Shaw
2,92613.74+1.34
Independent Russell Fitzpatrick (elected mayor)2,0449.60−3.50
Independent Tony Allen (elected)1,8368.62−3.48
Independent Clair Mudaliar (elected)1,0825.08+5.08
Independent Phillip Dummett7333.44+3.44
Total formal votes21,29190.87−0.53
Informal votes2,1389.13+0.53
Turnout 23,429

2021

2021 New South Wales local elections: Bega Valley [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor 1. Helen O'Neil (elected)
2. Simon Daly
4,94317.3
Independent Russell Fitzpatrick (elected)2,81813.1
Greens 1. Cathy Griff (elected)
2. Vivian Harris
3. Paula Park
4. Angus Ashcroft
5. Peter Haggar
2,66512.4
Independent Tony Allen (elected)2,59412.1
Independent Karen Wright (elected)2,53911.8
Independent Mitch Nadin (elected)1,2015.6
Independent Joy Robin (elected)1,0805.0
Independent David Porter (elected)1,0034.7
Independent Mike Britten8844.1
Independent Liz Seckhold (elected)8754.1
Independent Nathan O'Donnell8524.0
Independent Joshua Shoobridge6503.0
Independent Neil Bourke5682.6
Total formal votes21,43591.4
Informal votes2,0268.6
Turnout 23,46187.9

Demographics

Selected historical census data for Bega Valley Shire local government area
Census year2011 [15] 2016 [16] [6] 2021
PopulationEstimated residents on census night 31,950Increase2.svg 33,253Increase2.svg 35,942
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 56thDecrease2.svg 57th
% of New South Wales population0.46%Decrease2.svg 0.44%Steady2.svg 0.44%
% of Australian population0.15%Decrease2.svg 0.14%Steady2.svg 0.14%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses
English 32.5%Decrease2.svg 31.9%Increase2.svg 43.8%
Australian 31.3%Decrease2.svg 30.9%Increase2.svg 40.7
Irish 9.3%Decrease2.svg 9.2%Increase2.svg 13.0%
Scottish 8.4%Decrease2.svg 8.2%Increase2.svg 11.4%
German 3.8%Decrease2.svg 3.7%Increase2.svg 5.1%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)
German 0.6%Decrease2.svg 0.5%Decrease2.svg 0.4%
Dutch 0.3%Decrease2.svg 0.2%
Italian 0.2%Steady2.svg 0.2%
French 0.2%Steady2.svg 0.2%Steady2.svg 0.2%
Thai n/r0.2%Steady2.svg 0.2%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses
No religion, so described26.7%Increase2.svg 35.1%Increase2.svg 46.9%
Anglican 27.3%Decrease2.svg 21.9%Decrease2.svg 16.4%
Catholic 20.0%Decrease2.svg 17.9%Decrease2.svg 15.1%
Not statedn/r10.4%Decrease2.svg 8.3%
Uniting Church 4.6%Decrease2.svg 3.7%Decrease2.svg 2.7%
Median weekly incomes
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal income$454Increase2.svg $538Increase2.svg $645
% of Australian median income78.7%Increase2.svg 81.3%Increase2.svg 80.1%
Family incomeMedian weekly family income$1,014Increase2.svg $1,242Increase2.svg $1,501
% of Australian median income68.5%Increase2.svg 71.6%Decrease2.svg 70.8%
Household incomeMedian weekly household income$848Increase2.svg $986Increase2.svg $1,200
% of Australian median income68.7%Decrease2.svg 68.6%Increase2.svg 68.7%

See also

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References

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  2. "Bega Valley Shire Council". New South Wales Division of Local Government. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006. Retrieved 14 November 2006.
  3. "Holdings". Bega Valley Genealogy Society. Bega Valley Genealogy Society Inc. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
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  7. "Bega Valley Mayor endorsed as Liberal candidate in next state election". 24 November 2022.
  8. "About the Bega Valley Shire". About the Shire. Bega Valley Shire Council. n.d. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  9. "Biamanga Cultural area". NSW National Parks. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  10. 1 2 "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)
  11. 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.
  12. 1 2 "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.
  13. "Bega Valley - First Preference Group and Candidate Votes by Aggregated Vote Type". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 1 October 2024. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
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