SAPPHIRECOAST - SUMMER 2025 - BEGA AND SURROUNDS 21 The Bega Valley Experience: Cheese, Countryside and Craft Beer Bega Nestled in the picturesque Bega Valley of New South Wales, Bega is a charming town renowned for its lush landscapes, rich agricultural heritage, and, of course, its world-famous cheese. As the gateway to the Sapphire Coast, Bega offers visitors a unique blend of rural charm and coastal convenience, making it an ideal destination for families, food lovers, and nature enthusiasts alike. Bega's most iconic claim to fame is the Bega Cheese brand, which has been producing high-quality dairy products for more than a century. A visit to the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre offers an engaging insight into the history of the region's dairy industry, with interactive displays and tastings that are perfect for both kids and adults. Beyond cheese, the town is dotted with artisanal food producers, local markets, and boutique cafés that showcase the region's fresh produce and culinary creativity. Nature lovers will find plenty to explore in and around Bega. The town sits close to the rolling hills of the Bega Valley, where scenic drives, bushwalking trails, and cycling routes reveal stunning views of farmland, rivers, and native forests. Just a short drive away, the Sapphire Coast awaits with pristine beaches, lakes, and national parks, offering opportunities for fishing, kayaking, whale watching, and surfing. Bega's community spirit shines through its vibrant events calendar. Annual highlights include local farmers' markets, art exhibitions, and food festivals that celebrate the area's creativity and hospitality. Visitors can enjoy a relaxed pace, explore heritage-listed buildings, and soak in the friendly, a general store at the current location in 1882. welcoming atmosphere that makes Bega feel like home. Whether you're passing through on your way to the coast or planning a leisurely stay, Bega combines country charm, culinary delights, and natural beauty in a way that leaves a lasting impression. It's a town where every corner tells a story, and every bite tastes of the region's rich, fertile lands. Country atmosphere in Candelo South-west of Bega is Candelo, which still retains the rustic charm of yesteryear, and provides a colourful country market on the first Sunday of every month, from 8.30am to 12.30pm. There are some lovely old buildings in the town, including the Candelo General Store and Café. The original owner, Abraham Levy, operated a store in Candelo from at least 1879, and built After being destroyed by fire in 1903, Levy built a new store in 1904, which still proudly stands today. In late 2014, a local farming family purchased and sympathetically renovated the General Store, striking a balance between modern and original heritage features. Colourful Cobargo Located in Bega Valley Shire, 30-minutes' drive north of Bega, Cobargo is a small village with a permanent population of less than 800 people. The name Cobargo may have originated from the local First Nations word 'cubago', which some sources say was used to describe nearby Mount Gulaga. The town has become a popular tourist destination, thanks to its olden-style stores, arts and crafts galleries, tea rooms, antique shops and its colourful country market, held every Saturday. Enjoy Australia's only hop-farm-and-craftbeer experience! Hops are a key ingredient of craft beer, and now a regional hop farm, called Ryfield Hops, has opened its doors for tours that provide visitors with a fascinating insight into how hops are grown, processed, and used to make some of Australia's most iconic craft beers. A family-owned-and-operated commercial hop farm located at Bemboka in the NSW Bega Valley, Ryefield Hops grows 12 acres of "high-quality, Certified Sustainable hops", as well as processing everything on-site, so it's ready for use by Australian craft breweries. The three family members who run Ryefield Hops have developed a number of engaging 'agri-tourism' experiences, each designed to showcase the business' products, educate customers, and create a connection to the farm. Hop growing and craft beer tours Ryefield offers hop tours throughout the summer growing season ( between November to the end of January), which include a craft beer experience and 'sensory session' to explain the differences between hop varieties. Tours run for 90 minutes, providing a fascinating and educational behind-the-scenes look at hop growing and craft beer. Tour participants get a rare opportunity to walk through a field of six-metre-high hops, and touch and smell fresh hop cones, while the farm's owners and growers explain how the hops are grown, harvested and dried. The tour includes a visit to the farm's custom processing facility to see first-hand how hops are packaged before being sent to breweries, and participants also get to enjoy guided craft beer tastings. Sunflower Experiences As well as its hop fields, the Ryefield farm also has a dedicated four-acre field of sunflowers for visitors to enjoy. When in bloom, Ryefield runs sunflower-picking open days, where you can take a leisurely stroll through the sunflower field and cut your own sunflowers to take home. You can also have a picnic in the sunflower field. Generally held in April, specific open days will be promoted via Ryefield's dedicated social media pages @BembokaSunflowers or your can contact the farm using the details below. Book or find out more To book an activity or find out more about Ryefield Hops, go to ryefieldhops.com, email hops@ryefieldhops.com or call (0409) 986 269. Ryefield also has a four-acre sunflower field, and offers visitor ‘open-day, picking and picnic’ experiences during the flowering season (usually in April). Ryefield’s summer hop tours run for 90 minutes, providing a fascinating and educational behind-the-scenes look at hop growing and craft beer. At the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre you can learn about the history of the valley and the cheesemaking process. Bemboka, 2550 | 0409 986 269 ryefieldhops.com hops@ryefieldhops.com HOP TOURS Enjoy a craft beer experience on a commercial hop farm! Tours offered until February. Family friendly and pet friendly. Gift vouchers available! Summer
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