I found the best things to do in Bega, NSW: Here’s your guide

The best things to do in Bega, New South Wales, include the Bega Valley Regional Gallery and Mimosa Rocks National Park.

Bega, New South Wales is perhaps Australia’s most famous dairy town. It’s part of the Sapphire Coast region of the NSW South Coast, although it is slightly inland. It’s also the administrative centre for the region.

For visitors, the coastal towns of Merimbula, Tathra, Pambula and Eden tend to have more appeal. The Bega to Merimbula drive takes less than half an hour.

Things to do in Bega, NSW: Bega Cheese Heritage Centre

Ordinarily, things to do in Bega would include a visit to the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre. Run by the makers of Bega Cheese, this is part museum, part gallery, part cheese shop. The museum looks at the history of cheese-making and the dairy industry in the Bega Valley.

Alas, the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre is currently closed due to the impact of Covid. The cheese-making operation has come first, the visitor experience sacrificed for staff safety.

What to do in Bega, NSW: Gallery and Pioneers Museum

The other two cultural attractions in Bega, NSW, are the classic small town combo of a regional art gallery and local history museum.

The Bega Valley Regional Gallery is one to save for a rainy day. And the Bega Pioneers Museum is a predictable collection of old artefacts and machinery.

Things to do in Bega: NSW South Coast national parks

Bega’s real strength, however, is the wealth of national parks nearby. The best things to do in Bega aren’t in the town at all. They’re nearby in Mimosa Rocks National Park, Bournda National Park and Biamanga National Park. The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service offers detailed information on walking trails, wildlife, beaches and campgrounds.

Beach in the Mimosa Rocks National Park near Bega, New South Wales. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

If you’re short on time, however, the Bega Valley Lookout is probably the best option. This is just to the north of the town on the Princes Highway.

Affordable Bega accommodation options include the Bega Village Motor Inn and Bega Southtown Motor Inn, both of which have pools.

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