Shire of Esk

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Shire of Esk
Queensland

Location within Queensland
Population: 15,002 (2006 census)[1]
Established: 1879
Area: 3936.3 km² (1519.8 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 Regional Council on 15 March 2008.

Contents

[edit] History

The Durundur Divisional Board 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 council 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 Regional Council.

[edit] Towns

[edit] Population

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

[edit] Mayors

  • Graeme Lehmann (2004–2008)
  • Jean Bray (1991–2004)[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Esk (S) (Local Government Area). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  2. ^ Shire of Esk (2008). Council Logo. Retrieved on 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. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.

[edit] 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)
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