Shire of Esk

Shire of Esk Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population:	15,002(2006 census)[1]
Established:	1879
Area:	3936.3 km² (1,519.8 sq mi)
Council Seat:	Esk
Region:	South East Queensland
Website: http://www.esk.qld.gov.au/
LGAs around Shire of Esk: Nanango Kilkivan Kilcoy Crows Nest Shire of Esk Caboolture Gatton, Laidley Ipswich Pine Rivers, Brisbane

The Shire of Esk was a Local Government Area in South East Queensland, Australia, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) west-northwest of Brisbane. It stretched from the Lockyer Valley north and west to the Great Dividing Range and up the valley of the Brisbane River. Esk covered an area of 3,936.2 square kilometres (1,519.8 sq mi), and existed from 1879 until its merger with the Shire of Kilcoy to form the Somerset Region on 15 March 2008.

History

The Durundur Division was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. Its name was changed to Esk on 5 June 1880 by proclamation. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Esk became a Shire on 31 March 1903. The council consisted of an elected mayor and ten councillors, and was not subdivided.

In 1980, the Council of the Shire of Esk adopted the head of the red deer as its logo, honouring a gift of from Queen Victoria in September 1873 to the district. In 1984 the official logo was adopted.^[2] The Weeping Bottlebrush was adopted as the shire's floral emblem on 10 August 1994.

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Esk merged with the Shire of Kilcoy to form the Somerset Region.

Towns

Esk
Borallon Caboonbah Clarendon Colinton Coolana Coominya Dundas Fairney View Fernvale Glamorgan Vale Harlin Lake Somerset Lake Wivenhoe	Lark Hill Linville Lowood Minden Moore Mount Hallen Mount Tarampa Prenzlau Rifle Range Tarampa Toogoolawah Vernor Wanora

Population

Year	Population
1921	7,925
1933	7,654
1947	7,137
1954	6,985
1961	6,430
1966	6,120
1971	5,579
1976	5,970
1981	8,090
1986	9,109
1991	10,977
1996	13,391
2001	14,029
2006	15,002

Mayors

• Graeme Lehmann (2004–2008; continued on as Major of Somerset Region)
• Jean Bray (1991–2004)^[3]

References

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Esk (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=LGA33050&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2008-03-18. 
2. ^ Shire of Esk (2008). "Council Logo". http://www.esk.qld.gov.au/content/Services/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-22. 
3. ^ Bray stepped down in January 2004 in order to contest the Ipswich West state electorate for the Liberal Party. See Electoral Commission of Queensland (20 February 2004). "2004 State General Election - Ipswich West - District Summary". http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/state/state2004/results/district41.html. Retrieved 2008-03-22. 

External links

• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Esk Shire

Further reading

• Kerr, Ruth (1988). Confidence and tradition: a history of the Esk Shire. Council of the Shire of Esk. ISBN 0-731-61232-9.  (246 pages)