The North Esk River is a river in Tasmania, Australia. It is one of the tributaries of the Tamar River together with the South Esk River. It starts in the Northallerton Valley below Mt Ben Nevis in the states North East joining with the St Patricks River, flowing through Launceston. Launceston's Old Seaport tourist feature is located on the North Esk River. The river becomes tidal downstream of Hoblers Bridge to where it meets the Tamar. It is sometimes subject to flooding, especially in East Launceston suburbs.
The famous Australian beer factory Boags draws its water from St Patricks River
The North Esk river area has a forgotten history. The East and West banks used to be swarming with Bushrangers and Aboriginal tribes which would continuously attack the settlers of the area. Further up the river, just beyond the first substantial bend known to some as 'Vermont' bend, there used to be a Punt which was active before Hobler's Bridge was built at what is now St. Leonards in 1829 by George Hobler of 'Killafaddy'. The area of North Esk was once an Electoral district. Many notable gentlemen farmers have lived on the North Esk throughout time. Some propterties of historical interest still stand on the banks of the river such as 'Braemar' and 'Vermont' just outside Launceston. Convicts were used up until the early 1850's to drain the river flats after it was cultivated so it would not deteriorate back into a swamp. The river was also the main port facility for Launceston until the construction of the Charles Street Bridge. On the south bank between the Seaport and Victoria Bridge (southern end of Invermay Road) were numerous wharves dating right back to settlement. These wharves were used by the flour mills, breweries, woolsheds and the Mt Mischoff Tin Smelters. Opposite, on the north bank, were more wharves accessible via Lindsay Street that used to support a rail mounted Gantry Crane which was used to directly load and unload railcars. Upstream were yet more smaller wharves with one of the furthest upstream being the Dynamite Wharf for the magazine reserve and shooting range on the Glebe Flats.
The largest tributary of the North Esk is the St Partricks River, with others incuding the Ford River which flows from the skifields of Mt Ben Lomond and down stream of the Corra Linn Gorge, the Roses Rivulet and Distillery Creek.