Licensees
1859 – Thomas North
1862-1872 – John Kingsland
1872-1883 – William Henry Johnson
1884 – 1891 – Thomas Peace
1891-1902 – Peter Gibbons
1906 – Thomas O’Brien
1908 – Watts
1909 – Basil Lanser
1909-1921 – James Leyden and Gertrude Leyden
1924-1927 – Syphrene (Si) Turnbull
Location
The Araluen Arms was located at Crown Flat, moving to Redbank in 18631The Araluen Star and Miners Right. September 1863. Issue 2 p 8. In Redbank the Araluen Arms was sited opposite the laneway to the Court House2Newsletter No 7. Braidwood and District Historical Society. December 2017.
In the News
In 1859, the Empire newspaper3Empire (Sydney, NSW: 1850-1875), Tuesday 30 August 1859, p 3 reports ‘Mr. North’s new house is very nearly finished, and is, without exception, the best in the valley; the stable, especially, is a great improvement upon calico tents. We believe Mr. North will apply for his license on Tuesday week, and intends to adopt as his sign the title of ‘The Araluen Arms.’
Thomas North placed an advertisement (see above) dated 16 March 1860 in the Braidwood Observer 4Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 21 March 1860, page 4 ‘thanking the Mining Community and other residents of the Valley for the liberal support accorded to him at the Newmarket store’, and to inform that ‘he has opened the above Inn, [Araluen Arms, Middle Araluen] and… he trusts that with civility and keeping a genuine article, to receive a continuation of their patronage and support’. The advertisement concludes with the statement ‘the proprietor is willing to allow the house to stand upon its merits, well knowing that this brother diggers will after a call be able to judge for themselves’.
In an advertisement placed in the Braidwood Observer 5Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Saturday 22 March 1862, page 3 and dated 11 March 1862, (above on left) John Kingsland announced, that having obtained a license for the premises lately occupied by Dennis Barratt [Favourite Inn] ‘he intends opening the same …[as the Araluen Arms] on Saturday next [March 1862],’ and inviting his friends to the ‘House Opening’ Ball to be held that Saturday evening. Note the Miners’ Rights Coat of Arms.
John Kingland advertised in the Araluen Star in September 1863, making an announcement regarding the removal of the Araluen Arms, from Crown Flat to new premises at Redbank.
An advertisement for that ‘large and most commodious Hotel’, known as Mr. John Kingsland’s (Araluen Arms)6Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870-1919), Saturday 23 March 1872, p 29 situated at Redbank, Araluen, was placed in January 1872 and described as ‘This hotel contains an ample number of well-finished bedrooms, dining and sitting rooms, parlours, ball and assembly room for carrying on a large business, and certainly the finest billiard-room in the district of Braidwood. There is also detached store-room, laundry, kitchen, buggy house, sheds for conveyances, chaff and corn store; first-class stable, paved, 12 stalls; hayloft, well of soft water, with force-pump, &c. also, sale-yards adjoining‘.
In May 1872, the Australian Town and Country Journal7Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870-1919), Saturday 11 May 1872, p 14 reported that ‘Mr. W.H. Johnson, late of the London Tavern is now at the celebrated Araluen Arms, which was for so many years kept by Mr. John Kingsland.‘
W.H. Johnson – Innkeeper is noted in the 1875-76 Greville’s Official Post office Directory8Greville’s Official Post Office directory for 1875–1876 https://www.ihr.com.au/secure/html/greville75.html. Accessed 18 February 2023, p 18 in Araluen. Greville’s mentions that the Araluen main street contains some good buildings, about fourteen of which are hotels, the principal ones being the Araluen Arms and the London Tavern.
A public meeting was convened at Johnson’s Hotel, Araluen,9Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1932), Saturday 23 December 1876, p 10 in 1876 to seek a reduction in the very high price of meat. ‘No kind of meat can be purchased here for less than 5d per 1 pound; consequently most of the labourers have to abstain involuntarily, in many cases for three and four consecutive days.’ It was decided that should the butchers of Araluen agree by Monday to a reduction 1 1/2d per 1 pound, they (the working men) would be satisfied; but if they do not agree to the proposed alteration, a butcher will be invited from Braidwood from whom the diggers agree to deal for the space of twelve calendar months.
In March 1880, the Irish Relief Committee met at Mr W. H. Johnson’s Hotel, Redbank10Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843-1893), Thursday 11 March 1880, p 4 Mr W. H. Johnson himself being in the chair and noting ‘with the proceeds from the concert and other contributions in the room the amount available to be sent to-morrow will be £50, which will be supplemented when a few other lists come in, and as soon as the three other claims wash up as much more is promised‘.
“Mr. Johnson, of Araluen, who kept that place alive for years, having removed to Cooma and taken the Australian Hotel there, is to be banqueted by his Braidwood friends” noted the Bega Standard in March 1884. 11Bega Standard and Candelo, Merimbula, Pambula, Eden, Wolumla, and General Advertiser (NSW : 1876 – 1884), Wednesday 5 March 1884, page 2 Thomas Peace, formerly of the Thistle Hotel, Crown Flat, was the licensee for the Araluen Arms from 1884 until 1891. 12New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 – 1900), Tuesday 10 August 1886 (No.430 (SUPPLEMENT)), page 5365
A very sudden death occurred in Araluen on Tuesday morning April 1903.13Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Saturday 4 April 1903, p 6 ‘Mr. Peter Gibbons, the well-known publican of Redbank, was taken ill on Monday night, when Dr. Cummings was sent for from Braidwood, but medical aid was of no avail.‘
The Braidwood Dispatch reported in September 1908, ‘Anthony O’Brien14Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Wednesday 16 September 1908, p 2 son of Mr. Thomas 0’Brien, of the Araluen Arms Hotel, died on Friday night after twelve months suffering with that terrible complaint consumption. He was only 15 years and seven months of age.’
Mrs. Watts wife of the proprietor of the Araluen Arms Hotel, in December 190815Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Wednesday 2 December 1908, p 5, dropped down while at the bar of the hotel, and expired in twenty minutes after. She was very little known here, being only three weeks in the Valley. She was a native of Sydney, and was 60 years of age, having no family.
In December 1909 the Braidwood Dispatch reported ‘Mr. J. Leyden16Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Saturday 4 December 1909, p 2 our erstwhile sportsman, has purchased the goodwill of the Araluen Arm Hotel from Mr. Basil Lanser, who has owned and controlled it during the past year or so. The exact amount paid is not known, but it is understood that Mr. Leyden will enter into possession of it in about a weeks time.’
On 28 November 1927,17Newsletter No 7. Braidwood and District Historical Society. December 2017 the Araluen Arms Hotel building was completely destroyed by fire. Only the brick chimneys were left standing to tell the tale. The licensee of the hotel, Mr Turnbull, was absent in Sydney. A Coroner’s inquest was held at Braidwood Courthouse and determined ‘the premises were destroyed by fire, but how the fire occurred, whether by accident or otherwise, the evidence did not disclose ‘.18Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Friday 16 December 1927, p 2 In December 1927 a temporary license (Turnbull) for 12 months was granted for the Araluen Arms at Alley’s Store.
Araluen Hotel
- 1928-1960 – John Collins, Mollie Collins
- 1966-1977 – Max and Katharina Lusch
Mollie Collins learnt the hotel trade when her father [John Collins] took over the new Hotel Araluen, 19Newsletter No 7. Braidwood and District Historical Society. December 2017 when Alley’s Store was converted to a hotel, following the burning down of the Araluen Arms Hotel in 1927.20Chris Woodland. Araluen. A History through Photographs c. 1840–2000. Snap Printing, Williamstown, VIC. 2014. p 44
In 1943, the death of Mr John Collins occurred at Araluen21Canberra Times (ACT : 1926-1995), Thursday 4 November 1943, p 2 who was noted as the licensee of the Hotel Araluen for the past 15 years. In the second half of the 20th century, the one remaining hotel owner and hostess, Mollie Collins was the centre of social life22Lindsay and Roger Thwaites. The History of Araluen. National Capital Printing. 2001. p 35.
The Araluen Hotel https://www.araluenhotel.com.au pictured above continues to provide a warm welcome and hospitality today.