Population 15,002 (2006 census) Website Shire of Esk Area 3,936 km² Council seat Esk | Established 1879 Shire of Esk Caboolture Founded 1879 Region South East Queensland | |
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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.
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History
The Durundur Division was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 with a population of 1428. Its name was changed to Esk Division on 2 June 1880 by proclamation.
On 18 January 1884, there was an adjustment of boundaries between Highfields Division's subdivisions Nos. 1 and 2 and Esk Division.
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 from Queen Victoria in September 1873 to the district. In 1984 the official logo was adopted. 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 and localities
The Shire of Esk included the following settlements: