The Bega Valley Shire in New South Wales is on an exciting journey towards circularity. Bega Valley is known for agriculture and tourism. The region recently began transitioning to become the most circular ‘place-based’ economy in the world. This shift towards circularity will make the Bega Valley an even more vibrant, sustainable and resilient community for all those who live, work and visit there.
About Bega Circular Valley
The Bega Circular Valley program is a regional plan to help the Bega Valley become Australia’s most circular place‑based economy.
Its main goals are to:
Show how circular practices can benefit an entire region.
Test more circular ways of living across the whole economy.
Encourage the Bega Valley community to adopt circular habits and enjoy the benefits of a smarter, more sustainable lifestyle.
Share what they learn with other regions in Australia and around the world.
A practical program focused on real action
The program has a long-term plan for the next 20 years. It includes a blueprint with 24 work areas and a map that shows how to move away from the linear economy. The focus is on daily action. The goal is to run real projects that show what a circular transition looks like in a community, not just in theory.
There are more than 40 projects running across the Bega Valley. One project with CSIRO is measuring how circular the region is today. Another project is testing how farm plastics, like silage wrap, can be recycled and turned into useful materials instead of waste.
The program also supports local businesses already working in circular ways. It works closely with the many communities in the Bega Valley to help them take part in the transition.
One project focuses on organic farm waste. They use modern methods to turn manure into compost to be used across the farms. This compost:
improves soil
helps plants grow
reduces the need for chemical fertilisers.
Water use is another focus. Farmers are using rainwater harvesting and better irrigation systems. Dairy wastewater is treated and reused on farms, which reduces the need for fresh water.
Building Australia’s National Circularity Centre
The Australian Government has provided $8.5 million to support the construction of a National Circularity Centre. The Centre is due to open in late 2027 and will showcase the Bega Valley’s circular transition. The centre will show how the Bega Valley is becoming more circular and will act as a national and global hub.
The centre will include:
an education centre
café
event space
circular gift shop
tourist information desk
gardens with native plants.
It will be the first centre of its kind and will attract visitors from across Australia and the world. Its aim is to show how the circular economy can help solve big challenges and inspire young people.
Working together
Collaboration is key to Bega’s circular approach. The Regional Circularity Co-operative is funded and supported by the Bega Group, other partners such as Rabobank and government. It brings together community, large businesses, financial institutions, universities, research organisations and government. They share resources and knowledge to make the circular economy happen faster.
This is Australia’s Circular Economy Framework in action, with real teamwork and real results.
Read more
For more information on the Bega Circular Valley program and National Circularity Centre, or details on Australia’s Circular Economy Framework visit:
