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At the turn of the 20th century the Bega Valley was a forgotten little corner of southeastern NSW where life has been caught in a traditional farming regime since the 1850's.
The early settlers came down from Braidwood looking for cattle fodder in the 1830's and others came via Twofold Bay at Eden. The culture and community of the indigenous Yuin people, whose occupation of the coastal area around Bega and its hinterland stretches back thousands of years, was disrupted by the arrival of Europeans and went into decline soon after.
Primary industries in the region were beef cattle, sheep, wheat and corn growing. However the early wealthy selectors had a monopoly on land and water until the 1861 Robertson Free Selection Act allowed smaller selectors to claim the land and develop their properties.
History abounds in this valley. You can imagine dust rising above the bullock and horse teams as they hauled full wagons up the mountain from the coast.
Perhaps you don't have to imagine the flowery language of the driver as he urged his team with whip and words, along the narrow, rough road, bringing supplies from the coastal steamers to the small isolated settlements of the hinterland.
And you wondered why the air was so blue above the beautiful Towamba River Valley!
 - Image: dlwc.nsw.gov.au
 - Image: ngairin.com
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In 1868 Matthew Munn, opened a cornflour factory at Merimbula. It provided employment and it's chief product, Munn Maizen, and by-product called bran, soon gained high reputations across the country and overseas.
George Bass noted Twofold Bay in December 1797 as he travelled south down the New South Wales coast. On his return in early 1798 he entered the bay where he named Snug Cove for the security to shipping it afforded. It is here that the Eden Wharf now stands.
Candelo village, nestled in the Bega Valley, is surrounded by lush pastures which support numerous dairy farms.
The township has a number of restored buildings which reflect its history.
A monthly market which has been running for a number of years draws huge crowds from all over the district to sample to produce and home made goods on display.
 - Image:cap.nsw.edu.au
Bemboka township was surveyed in 1876 and officially recognised in 1877.
Originally
known as Colombo it was changed to Bemboka in 1883 and a private
subdivision called 'Lyttleton' was incorporated in 1923.
 - Brown Mountain near Bemboka
Visit our new sister site Platpuscountry.org to see another community building online
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The port at Bermagui was established in the 1830s for the local dairy farmers and the town, planned in 1867, quickly developed into a fishing harbour. Gold was found on the Bermagui River late in the nineteenth century but the rush was short-lived as finds were disappointing.
 - Image:wlp.com.au
In the 1860's new settlers, attracted by the wattle growth in the district, started to arrive - Cobargo was "The Junction" and then "Wattletown" due to the bark industry. The wattle bark was stripped and sent to Sydney for use in tanning of hides.
The name Cobargo was adopted for the town in 1870, and was subsequently listed and registered with the then Geographical Names Board.
Pambula is a coastal village big in history, its peaceful lakes and idyllic river mouth a far cry from the hustle and bustle of development following the discovery of gold near the township in the 1880's.
 - Image:abcmaps.com.au
Tathra came into existence as a small jetty, which served as a shipping outlet for a group of local farmers in the 1850's. Tathra Wharf, a famous and historical wharf has been restored to its former glory and is a perfect spot to set yourself up for a day's relaxed fishing. It is the only remaining coastal steamer wharf in New South Wales.
 - Image:walkabout.com.au
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