Bega Valley Shire

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This article is about the local government area. For the regional town, see Bega, New South Wales.
Bega Valley
New South Wales
Bega LGA NSW.png
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates 36°40′S 149°50′E / 36.667°S 149.833°E / -36.667; 149.833Coordinates: 36°40′S 149°50′E / 36.667°S 149.833°E / -36.667; 149.833
Population 33,313 (2013 est)[1]
 • Density 5.3055/km2 (13.7411/sq mi)
Area 6,279 km2 (2,424.3 sq mi)
Mayor Michael Britten
Council seat Bega[2]
Region South Coast
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s) Eden-Monaro
Website Bega Valley
LGAs around Bega Valley:
Cooma-Monaro Eurobodalla Tasman Sea
Bombala Bega Valley Tasman Sea
East Gippsland (Vic) East Gippsland (Vic) Tasman Sea

Bega Valley Shire is a local government area located on the south-eastern coastline of New South Wales, 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.[citation needed] It is sparsely populated, largely because 75% of the area belongs to various national parks and state forests. The estimated population at June 2012 was 33,259.

Bega Valley is particularly known for its dairy industry, though tourism is of growing importance.[citation needed]

The Mayor of Bega Valley Shire Council is Cr. Michael Britten, an unaligned politician.

Council[edit]

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.[citation needed]

Current composition and election method[edit]

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 24 September 2014, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:[3]

Party Councillors
  Independents and Unaligned 8
  The Greens 1
Total 9

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election, is:[3]

Councillor Party Notes
  Tony Allen
  Sharon Tapscott Independent
  Russell Fitzpatrick Independent
  Michael Britten Unaligned

Mayor [4]

  Ann Mawhinney Independent
  Kristy McBain Unaligned
  Keith Hughes Greens
  Liz Seckold Independent

Deputy Mayor [5]

  Bill Taylor Unaligned

External links[edit]

References[edit]