Esk, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Esk is a town in the West Moreton
region of South East
Queensland
, approximately 90 km northwest of Ipswich
on the Brisbane Valley Highway
. It was named after the River Esk
in Scotland
and England
. It is the administrative centre of the Somerset Region. At the 2006 census
, Esk had a population of 1,166.
The town of Esk is contained in the Queensland Electoral district of Nanango
.
farm.
Nearby attractions include Lake Somerset
and Lake Wivenhoe, both lakes created by dam
s, and Ravensbourne
and Crows Nest
National Parks.
The historic Bellevue Homestead
and Caboonbah Homestead (destroyed by fire on 10 May 2009) are located in the area. Also close by are the peaks Glen Rock and Mount Esk.
The land around Esk was first explored by Captain Patrick Logan
in 1830. The town was established to service the short-lived copper mines of Eskdale and Cressbrook Creek. Settlers moved into the region during the 1840s. In 1886, the Brisbane Valley railway line reached Esk from Lowood
. Several sawmills were built and in 1904 a butter factory opened. The timber industry declined in the 1920s and dairying slowed from the 1960s onwards, which has eventually led to the decline of the town's importance as a major rural centre.
The comedy trio The Kransky Sisters
claim to be from Esk, Queensland before every show.
in 1830.
West Moreton
West Moreton is a region of the Australian state of Queensland, consisting of the entire rural western portion of South East Queensland. It sits inland from both the Brisbane metropolitan area and the Gold Coast and to the east of the Darling Downs. Much of the region lies in the Great Dividing Range...
region of South East
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, approximately 90 km northwest of Ipswich
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
on the Brisbane Valley Highway
Brisbane Valley Highway
The Brisbane Valley Highway is a state highway in Queensland. It leaves the Warrego Highway near Ipswich and travels in a northwesterly direction, following the Brisbane River until it reaches the D'Aguilar Highway about south-east of Moore, where it ends...
. It was named after the River Esk
River Esk, Dumfries and Galloway
The River Esk is a river in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, that flows into the Solway Firth. It also flows for a small way through the English county of Cumbria before entering the Solway....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the administrative centre of the Somerset Region. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Esk had a population of 1,166.
The town of Esk is contained in the Queensland Electoral district of Nanango
Electoral district of Nanango
The district of Nanango is an electoral division in the state of Queensland, Australia.Nanango was the original seat of Sir Joh-Bjelke Petersen . In the 2006 legislative election, incumbent member Dorothy Pratt beat off a strong challenge by the late Bjelke-Petersen's son John to retain the seat...
.
Town and district
The small town serves as a centre for a rich farming area, including an ostrichOstrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
farm.
Nearby attractions include Lake Somerset
Lake Somerset
Lake Somerset is an artificial lake created by the Somerset Dam on the Stanley River in South East Queensland. The dam was completed in 1953 providing flood mitigation and water storage for the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich and is the site of a small 4 MW hydroelectric power station.At full...
and Lake Wivenhoe, both lakes created by dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, and Ravensbourne
Ravensbourne National Park
Ravensbourne is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 33 km west of Esk. It is a small scenic park on the Great Dividing Range overlooking the Lockyer Valley. Small remnants of the rainforest and wet eucalypt forest that once covered this part of the Great Dividing Range are preserved in...
and Crows Nest
Crows Nest National Park
Crows Nest is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 40 km west of Esk and 6 km east of Crows Nest.The geology of the area is dominated by granites with domed outcrops. The vegetation in the park is mostly open eucalypt forest...
National Parks.
The historic Bellevue Homestead
Bellevue Homestead
Bellevue Homestead in South East Queensland, Australia is heritage listed and was restored by the National Trust of Queensland between 1975 and 1980 after moving the buildings from the banks of the Brisbane River to the nearby town of Coominya to avoid being flooded...
and Caboonbah Homestead (destroyed by fire on 10 May 2009) are located in the area. Also close by are the peaks Glen Rock and Mount Esk.
The land around Esk was first explored by Captain Patrick Logan
Patrick Logan
Captain Patrick Logan was the commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony from 1826 until his death in 1830. He is thought to have been killed by Aboriginal Australians who objected to him entering their lands...
in 1830. The town was established to service the short-lived copper mines of Eskdale and Cressbrook Creek. Settlers moved into the region during the 1840s. In 1886, the Brisbane Valley railway line reached Esk from Lowood
Lowood, Queensland
Lowood is a town in south east Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Brisbane River, 66 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane or 17 km birds line and 31 kilometres north of Ipswich...
. Several sawmills were built and in 1904 a butter factory opened. The timber industry declined in the 1920s and dairying slowed from the 1960s onwards, which has eventually led to the decline of the town's importance as a major rural centre.
The comedy trio The Kransky Sisters
The Kransky Sisters
The Kransky Sisters are an Australian musical comedy trio created, written and performed by Annie Lee and Christine Johnston in collaboration with Michele Watt and Carolyn Johns ....
claim to be from Esk, Queensland before every show.
War memorial and memorial park
The Esk War Memorial (pictured) was erected in 1921 to record the names of 462 Shire residents who enlisted during the First World War. It also contains bronze honour rolls bearing the names of 83 local men who fell during the war. Four commemorative plaques have subsequently been added to the structure. The war memorial stands in Esk Memorial Park, which also contains a memorial to Captain Logan, who was murdered while exploring the Brisbane ValleyBrisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
in 1830.