A Brief Early History of Bega Valley In 1829 some Braidwood squatters came down Eurambene Mt into Wandella near Cobargo to explore the kangaroo grasslands and open forests.
They returned with cattle in 1832 and William Duggan Tarlinton chose Cobargo for his run.
Other squatters included John Campbell, Henry Badgery, Captain Raine, Thomas Cowper, Curlewis, Major Elrington, Pollack brothers, Alsops and Dr Braidwood, who did not settle in the Valley.
1834 saw the visit of Governor Bourke, followed by the arrival of the three Imlay brothers, who acquired over 65,000 acres of the squatters’ land and began permanent settlement (Biggah) of the region,
with their employees, including some assigned convicts, becoming our Pioneers.
By 1844 drought and depression saw the foreclosure of the Imlay properties by the Walker brothers, their bankers.
The Walkers took ‘Kameruka’, leaving George & Alexander Imlay with ‘Tarraganda’, which Peter Imlay purchased in 1847 after his brothers deaths in 1846-7, later moving to New Zealand.
A census of aborigines in 1845 produced a total of 158 living in the Biggah area, employed as stockmen, sheep-washers and farm labourers.
In December 1848 a ship, the ‘Bermondsey’ disembarked immigrants at Twofold Bay (Eden) to work for ‘Kameruka’ or ‘Tarraganda’.
Another ship, the ‘Caesar’ brought German migrants from Hamburg to Twofold Bay in March 1855, also to work for ‘Kameruka’.
Many of these families are still landowners.
May 1851 saw a disastrous flood sweep many families down the Bega River – 17 died and were buried at ‘Corridgeree’ at Tarraganda.
Government Surveyor Parkinson had just laid out a new town at North Bega (on the site of the present Bega Cheese Factory) and the subsequent flooding forced a move to higher ground on the southern side of the river and a new town was founded.
In 1852 the Walker brothers sold out to the Twofold Bay Pastoral Association.
The first town allotments were surveyed in February 1854 and sold at Eden in August of that year. Eden was the only port for communication and transport, until Merimbula port was opened by Kameruka in 1855.
In 1858 the Victoria Inn was opened in Auckland Street, with the Family Hotel next door, in 1859, on the corner of Bega and Auckland Sts, the site of the present Bega Pioneers’ Museum. Both buildings are still in existence.
The first Bega Anglican Church was built in weatherboard in 1858. The present brick church was built in 1877.
First Post Office at Bega in Tarraganda Lane, in 1858, & moved to Carp St in 1859
In 1859, Surveyor Bransby surveyed a track from Merimbula via Wallagoot Lake to Jellat Jellat and Bega, running along the sandy beach at times,
which caused great delays when the tide was high.In 1861 the Robertson Free Selection Act enabled free selectors to buy some land -that land left by the larger selectors who took all the waterways.
A wooden courthouse was built in 1860, updated to a brick building on the present site in 1865, extended in 1881.
The first Bega newspaper the ‘Bega Gazette’ was started in 1865 by Robert W Sharpe. The ‘Southern Standard’ was begun in 1868,
and the name changed to ‘Bega Standard’ in 1874. The present ‘Bega District News’ was a consolidation of these papers, and started in 1923.
The original sheep gave way to dairying, which included pig production. Butter and cheese was produced by larger properties and shipped to Sydney, Melbourne and England, winning prizes for quality.
The weatherboard Roman Catholic Church was built in 1862, and the present brick church was opened in 1882.
The Wesleyan Chapel was the first brick church in town when opened in Gipps St in 1869, and the Presbyterian Church was built of stone in 1870.
The first Tathra Wharf was completed in 1862, which assisted in exportation, easier travel and the development of the Bega Valley.
Population of Bega in 1861 was 625 with 100 householders.
Bega Cemetery dedicated in 1862, on site of present Bega High School. The present cemetery was opened in 1909.
First Bega Agricultural Show held 1872 in paddock behind courthouse, moving to the present showground in 1876.
Brewery set up at Tarraganda by Richard Rogers in 1876 and forced to close after Tooths was established. However another brewery was built in Auckland St in 1882 by Sharpe brothers, opposite the Public School, closing in 1900.
First North Bega Bridge was opened by Daniel Gowing in 1878, and replaced in 1898. The present bridge was opened in 1975.
Gold found at Montreal, near Bermagui, 1880.
Gold rush at Pambula, 1889.
NSW Creamery Butter Company opened at North Bega (‘Yarranung’) in 1894, closed 1899; Bega Co-operative Creamery Company opened 1900.
Momsen’s gold mine started at Wolumla 1896, started a boom.
RSL sub-branch started in 1919,
War Memorial opened 24 May 1924.
They returned with cattle in 1832 and William Duggan Tarlinton chose Cobargo for his run.
Other squatters included John Campbell, Henry Badgery, Captain Raine, Thomas Cowper, Curlewis, Major Elrington, Pollack brothers, Alsops and Dr Braidwood, who did not settle in the Valley.
1834 saw the visit of Governor Bourke, followed by the arrival of the three Imlay brothers, who acquired over 65,000 acres of the squatters’ land and began permanent settlement (Biggah) of the region,
with their employees, including some assigned convicts, becoming our Pioneers.
By 1844 drought and depression saw the foreclosure of the Imlay properties by the Walker brothers, their bankers.
The Walkers took ‘Kameruka’, leaving George & Alexander Imlay with ‘Tarraganda’, which Peter Imlay purchased in 1847 after his brothers deaths in 1846-7, later moving to New Zealand.
A census of aborigines in 1845 produced a total of 158 living in the Biggah area, employed as stockmen, sheep-washers and farm labourers.
In December 1848 a ship, the ‘Bermondsey’ disembarked immigrants at Twofold Bay (Eden) to work for ‘Kameruka’ or ‘Tarraganda’.
Another ship, the ‘Caesar’ brought German migrants from Hamburg to Twofold Bay in March 1855, also to work for ‘Kameruka’.
Many of these families are still landowners.
May 1851 saw a disastrous flood sweep many families down the Bega River – 17 died and were buried at ‘Corridgeree’ at Tarraganda.
Government Surveyor Parkinson had just laid out a new town at North Bega (on the site of the present Bega Cheese Factory) and the subsequent flooding forced a move to higher ground on the southern side of the river and a new town was founded.
In 1852 the Walker brothers sold out to the Twofold Bay Pastoral Association.
The first town allotments were surveyed in February 1854 and sold at Eden in August of that year. Eden was the only port for communication and transport, until Merimbula port was opened by Kameruka in 1855.
In 1858 the Victoria Inn was opened in Auckland Street, with the Family Hotel next door, in 1859, on the corner of Bega and Auckland Sts, the site of the present Bega Pioneers’ Museum. Both buildings are still in existence.
The first Bega Anglican Church was built in weatherboard in 1858. The present brick church was built in 1877.
First Post Office at Bega in Tarraganda Lane, in 1858, & moved to Carp St in 1859
In 1859, Surveyor Bransby surveyed a track from Merimbula via Wallagoot Lake to Jellat Jellat and Bega, running along the sandy beach at times,
which caused great delays when the tide was high.In 1861 the Robertson Free Selection Act enabled free selectors to buy some land -that land left by the larger selectors who took all the waterways.
A wooden courthouse was built in 1860, updated to a brick building on the present site in 1865, extended in 1881.
The first Bega newspaper the ‘Bega Gazette’ was started in 1865 by Robert W Sharpe. The ‘Southern Standard’ was begun in 1868,
and the name changed to ‘Bega Standard’ in 1874. The present ‘Bega District News’ was a consolidation of these papers, and started in 1923.
The original sheep gave way to dairying, which included pig production. Butter and cheese was produced by larger properties and shipped to Sydney, Melbourne and England, winning prizes for quality.
The weatherboard Roman Catholic Church was built in 1862, and the present brick church was opened in 1882.
The Wesleyan Chapel was the first brick church in town when opened in Gipps St in 1869, and the Presbyterian Church was built of stone in 1870.
The first Tathra Wharf was completed in 1862, which assisted in exportation, easier travel and the development of the Bega Valley.
Population of Bega in 1861 was 625 with 100 householders.
Bega Cemetery dedicated in 1862, on site of present Bega High School. The present cemetery was opened in 1909.
First Bega Agricultural Show held 1872 in paddock behind courthouse, moving to the present showground in 1876.
Brewery set up at Tarraganda by Richard Rogers in 1876 and forced to close after Tooths was established. However another brewery was built in Auckland St in 1882 by Sharpe brothers, opposite the Public School, closing in 1900.
First North Bega Bridge was opened by Daniel Gowing in 1878, and replaced in 1898. The present bridge was opened in 1975.
Gold found at Montreal, near Bermagui, 1880.
Gold rush at Pambula, 1889.
NSW Creamery Butter Company opened at North Bega (‘Yarranung’) in 1894, closed 1899; Bega Co-operative Creamery Company opened 1900.
Momsen’s gold mine started at Wolumla 1896, started a boom.
RSL sub-branch started in 1919,
War Memorial opened 24 May 1924.