Araluen (35°39′S 149°49′E) is
a small town near Braidwood
in the Southern Tablelands of
New South Wales, Australia,
in Palerang Council. It lies in
the valley of Araluen Creek,
that joins the Deua River at
roughly the midpoint in its
course. On Census night 2011,
Araluen had a population of
293 people.

The name 'Araluen' meant
'water lily' or 'place of the
water lilies' in the local
aboriginal language. At the
time of European settlement
Araluen was described as a
broad alluvial valley with
many natural billabongs
covered with water lilies.
Unfortunately, no such
billabongs exist in the
Araluen valley today. As with
most river and creek valleys
in south-eastern Australia,
the natural landscape of
Araluen Creek and its valley
were destroyed by rampant
and extremely destructive
gold mining during the 'gold
rush' in the latter half of the
19th century. The town
experienced a decline after a
flash flood in 1860 virtually
destroyed the town, killing 24
people.