Bega Valley Shire Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick has called Jim Molan "a truly great Australian who served his country well on several fronts".
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Liberal senator and former army general Jim Molan is being remembered as a patriot and a loving family man after he died aged 72.
"He will be sadly missed, he was a personal friend and I send my sympathies to his wife Anne, his children and grandchildren," Cr Fitzpatrick said.
"He has always been supportive of federal funding for the Bega Valley," Cr Fitzpatrick said.
Senator Molan announced the federal funding for the road between Eden Wharf and the town in 2018 and was informally known as the senator for Southern NSW.
Tributes are pouring in from across the political divide for the Royalla-based senator, who had been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of cancer in April 2021.
Labor member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain said that while their "politics didn't align, our love of the south east of NSW and our desire to represent the views of those communities was always something we had in common".
"He lived a life of service. Most importantly he was a proud husband, dad and grandfather and that always shone through," Ms McBain said in a social media post.
President of the Merimbula-Eden Liberals Scott Kennedy said Senator Molan dedicated his life to the service of Australia.
"Jim dedicated his life to the service of Australia, doing so with distinction as a major general in the Australian Army, as a special envoy and senator. Jim was an amazing man, loyal to his country and its people," Mr Kennedy said.
"Jim was highly effective, a deep strategic thinker and a superb author. Importantly Jim was a man of great principle, which was a tremendous strength that guided his outlook and approach to matters."
Mr Kennedy said Senator Molan had a great empathy for people and a way of putting people around him at ease.
"As Liberal duty senator for Eden-Monaro, Jim was an invaluable help to our local party branch, facilitating positive outcomes for constituents and opportunities for our community voice to be heard in Canberra. Quite simply, we have lost a great Australian," he said.
"Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to Jim's wife Anne, and his family," Mr Kennedy said.
Senator Molan was a major-general in the army, serving across a 40-year period in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor, Malaysia, Germany, the United States and Iraq.
In a statement, Senator Molan's family said the politician had died peacefully in their arms on Monday after his condition deteriorated after Christmas.
"Our loss is immeasurable, but we are comforted in our memories of a full life courageously lived, devoted to family and in service of the country he loved.
"We thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and for respecting our privacy at this difficult time."
Senator Molan's death creates a vacancy in the Senate, which will be filled by a Liberal from NSW," a NSW Liberals spokesman said.
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