Population 33,475 (2015 est) Mayor Kristy McBain State electorate(s) BegaMonaro Area 6,279 km² | Established 1981 Region South Coast Founded 1981 | |
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Points of interest Bournda National Park, Magic Mountain - Merimbula, Eden Killer Whale Museum, Ben Boyd National Park, Mimosa Rocks National Destinations | ||
Bega Valley Shire is a local government area located on 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.
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Map of Bega Valley, NSW, Australia
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, Towamba and the former whaling port of Eden. The Bega Valley Shire is also known as the Sapphire Coast for tourism and marketing purposes.
The Shire is the largest local government area in coastal New South Wales, with an area of 6,279 square kilometres (2,424 sq mi), and has the longest coastline of any local government area in the state. It is sparsely populated, largely because 75% of the area belongs to various national parks and state forests. The estimated population in June 2012 was 33,259.
Bega Valley is particularly known for its dairy industry, though tourism is of growing importance.
The Mayor of Bega Valley Shire Council is Kristy McBain, an unaligned politician.
Council
In August 1999 the Bega Valley Shire Council was sacked and an administrator was put in place until 2002 where a new council was elected.
Current composition and election method
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 mayoral election was held on 10 September 2016, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:
The current Council, elected in 2016, in order of election, is: