Local Government Area · New South Wales
Bega Valley
Bega Valley Shire is a rural LGA on the Far South Coast of NSW. Following the 2019–20 bushfires, the region faces a sustained mental health crisis in schools that lacks adequate resourcing.
~32,000
Estimated population
~25 schools
Approximate schools
2019–20
Black Summer destroyed homes, livelihoods, and safety
4+ hrs
nearest CAMHS service (Canberra or Sydney)
↑ 60%+
anxiety-related referrals in local GP clinics post-fires
Priority Wellbeing Issues
Post-Bushfire PTSD
CriticalSustained 4+ years
GP and school counsellor data confirm ongoing PTSD symptoms in children who experienced the Black Summer fires. Avoidance, hypervigilance, and sleep disruption are common presentations.
Grief & Loss
CriticalMultiple losses
Children who lost homes, pets, and community landmarks experience complex grief. Many have also lost peers who relocated — compounding social disconnection.
Teacher Burnout → Student Impact
ElevatedHigh staff turnover
Bega Valley schools struggle to retain teachers after the fires. High staff turnover creates relationship instability for students, damaging the school's capacity to provide consistent support.
Substance Use
Notable↑ Post-fire
Youth alcohol and cannabis use increased post-fires in Bega Valley, consistent with coping patterns in other disaster-affected communities.
schoolSchool Profile Data · ACARA 2025
Schools in Bega Valley
ACARA National School Profile 2025
schoolSchools
97
in this area
groupsStudents
23,554
total enrolments
equalizerAvg ICSEA
963
37 points below national average
domainBy Sector
Government
74%(72)
Catholic
18%(17)
Independent
8%(8)
diversity_3Equity Indicators
bar_chart
41.1%Socioeconomic disadvantage
in lowest ICSEA quarter
people
16.4%Indigenous students
avg across schools
translate
8.0%Language other than English
LBOTE avg across schools
info
Source: ACARA National School Profile 2025. ICSEA national average is 1000. Schools shown are matched via postcode to SA3 region.
How Data Changes Outcomes
Prevention Insight
Bega Valley schools need an always-on wellbeing monitoring system that captures early signs of trauma re-activation — not one that only activates after crisis.
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