town of the South Coast region, New South Wales, Australia, where the Bemboka and Brogo rivers unite to form the short Bega River. Settled in 1839 and gazetted a town in 1851, its name is 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 area. Bega is 10 miles (16 km) from the small resort port of Tathra, noted for surfing facilities. Pop. (2006) 4,038.