Bega

Farmland in the Bega Valley, New South Wales, Australia.

Bega, town of the South Coast region, New South Wales, Australia, where the Bemboka and Brogo rivers unite to form the short Bega River.

Bega was settled in 1839 and gazetted a town in 1851, its name derived from an Aboriginal word meaning either “big camping place” or “beautiful.” On the Prince’s Highway, Bega serves a district of dairying, mixed farming, pastoralism, and granite quarrying. Bega has a large milk-processing plant, fish canneries, sawmills, and furniture, plaster, tile, and agricultural machinery factories; high-quality cheese comes from the area as well. Bega is 10 miles (16 km) from the small resort port of Tathra, noted for surfing facilities. Pop. (2006) urban centre, 4,537; (2011) urban centre, 4,155.