Araluen Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Araluen Creek |
|
|---|---|
| Other name(s) | The Deep Creek |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | South East Corner (IBRA), Southern Tablelands, South Coast |
| Local government area | Palerang, Eurobodalla |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Great Dividing Range east of Captains Flat 741 m (2,431 ft) |
| River mouth | confluence with the Deua River south of Monga National Park 104 m (341 ft) |
| Length | 24 km (15 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Moruya River catchment |
| Tributaries |
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| National park | Monga NP |
Araluen Creek is a stream in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Moruya River system. This creek flows through the Southern Tablelands and South Coast regions. It is a "partly perennial stream," meaning it flows for most of the year but might dry up in very dry periods.
Contents
Where Araluen Creek Starts and Flows
Araluen Creek begins its journey high up in the Great Dividing Range. This is a large mountain range in eastern Australia. The creek starts near a place called Gillian Park, about 4 kilometers east of the village of Majors Creek.
The Creek's Path
From its start, Araluen Creek generally flows towards the south-southeast. Along its way, it is joined by three smaller streams, which are called tributaries. These smaller streams add more water to the creek.
Joining Another River
Araluen Creek eventually meets and joins the Deua River. This meeting point is called a confluence. It happens in a quiet, remote area south of the Monga National Park. The creek drops about 637 meters in height over its 24-kilometer path.
The Araluen Valley and Its History
The village of Araluen is located in the valley formed by Araluen Creek. The name 'Araluen' comes from a local Aboriginal language. It means 'water lily' or 'place of the water lilies'.
Past and Present Landscape
When Europeans first arrived, the Araluen valley was described as a wide, flat area with many natural ponds. These ponds, called billabongs, were covered with beautiful water lilies. However, you won't find these billabongs in the valley today.
Impact of Gold Mining
In the late 1800s, there was a lot of gold mining in the Araluen valley. This mining was very intense and changed the natural landscape of the creek and its valley. The mining activities moved huge amounts of sand and gravel. This led to a problem called "sand siltation" in the lower part of the Deua River, where Araluen Creek joins it. Sand siltation means that too much sand and sediment built up in the river.
Wildlife in the River
Despite these changes, the Deua River is still home to important fish species. It supports populations of the Australian grayling, which is a threatened fish, and several other native freshwater fish.
