Shire of Esk

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.

Shire of Esk
Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population15,002 (2006 census)[1]
 • Density3.81119/km2 (9.8709/sq mi)
Established1879
Area3,936.3 km2 (1,519.8 sq mi)
Council seatEsk
RegionSouth East Queensland
WebsiteShire of Esk
LGAs around Shire of Esk:
Nanango Kilkivan Kilcoy
Crows Nest Shire of Esk Caboolture
Gatton, Laidley Ipswich Pine Rivers, Brisbane

History
Map of Esk Division and adjacent local government areas, March 1902. Legend: Brassall Division (9), Walloon Division (17)

The Durundur Division was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 with a population of 1428.[2] Its name was changed to Esk Division on 2 June 1880 by proclamation.[3][4]

On 18 January 1884, there was an adjustment of boundaries between Highfields Division's subdivisions Nos. 1 and 2 and Esk Division.[5][6]

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Esk became a Shire on 31 March 1903.[4][7] 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.[8] 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.[7][9]

Towns and localities

The Shire of Esk included the following settlements:

Population
Year Population
19217,925
19337,654
19477,137
19546,985
19616,430
19666,120
19715,579
19765,970
19818,090
19869,109
199110,977
199613,391
200114,029
200615,002

Chairmen and Mayors
  • Alexander Smith, chairman of Esk Shire for many years
    March 1880 - December 1885: Frederick Lord [10]
  • January 1886 - March 1888: James Henry McConnel [10]
  • March 1888 - February 1889: Frederick Lord [10]
  • February 1889 - February 1891: Thomas Pryde [10]
  • February 1891 - February 1893: Frederick Lord [10]
  • February 1893 - February 1894: George Charles Taylor[10]
  • February 1894 - February 1896: Patrick Clifford [10]
  • February 1896 - February 1899: James Henry McConnel [10]
  • March 1899 - February 1901: Walter Francis [10]
  • March 1901 - January 1902: Henry Plantagenet Somerset [10]
  • February 1902 - February 1905: Walter Francis [10]
  • March 1905 - February 1906: Alexander Smith [10]
  • February 1906 - February 1907: Charles Stuart Lord (son of Frederick Lord) [10]
  • February 1907 - February 1908: Frederick Seib [10]
  • February 1908 - February 1909: John MacDonald [10]
  • February 1909 - February 1910: Alexander Smith [10]
  • February 1910 - February 1911: Charles George Handley [10]
  • February 1911 - February 1912: Alexander Smith [10]
  • March 1913 - May 1914: James Henry McConnel [10]
  • May 1914 - July 1914: Alexander Smith [10]
  • July 1914 - March 1915: Herbert Prescott Gardner [10]
  • March 1915 - March 1916: Eric Walter McConnel [10]
  • March 1916 - February 1917: Alexander Smith [10]
  • February 1917 - January 1919: George Bishop [10]
  • January 1919 - February 1920: William Roy Butler [10]
  • February 1920 - August 1921: Michael Frederick Thompson [10]
  • August 1921 - April 1930: Alexander Smith [10][11]
  • April 1930 - August 1940: William Lewis [10][12]
  • 1940 - July 1952: James Barbour, junior [10]
  • September 1952 - 1961: William Wells [10]
  • 1961 - 1967: Norman Joseph McInnes [10]
  • 1967 - September 1983: Kenneth Edgar Haslindgden [10]
  • October 1983 - c. 1987: Lester Joseph Williams [10]
  • 1991–2004: Jean Bray[13]
  • 2004–2007: Graeme Lehmann; after amalgamation continued as Mayor of Somerset Region[14]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Esk (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  2. "Proclamation [Durundur Division constituted]". Queensland Government Gazette. 11 November 1879. p. 25:992.
  3. "Proclamation [Durundur & Esk Divisions]". Queensland Government Gazette. 5 June 1880. p. 26:1315.
  4. "Agency ID 11325, Esk Divisional Board". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  5. "Proclamation [Highfields Division amended]". Queensland Government Gazette. 19 January 1884. p. 34:167-168.
  6. "Proclamation [Esk Division amended]". Queensland Government Gazette. 19 January 1884. p. 34:169.
  7. "Agency ID 876, Esk Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  8. Shire of Esk (2008). "Council Logo". Archived from the original on 31 March 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  9. "Agency ID 11046, Somerset Regional Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  10. Kerr, Ruth (1988). Confidence and tradition : a history of the Esk Shire. Esk Shire Council. ISBN 978-0-7316-1568-1.
  11. Pugh, Theophilus Parsons (1927). Pugh's Almanac for 1927. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  12. "NEW BRIDGE". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 26 October 1931. p. 12. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  13. 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". Archived from the original on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  14. "2012 Somerset Regional Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2012.

Further reading
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