Esk - QLD
Population - 1150
Esk is situated 110km north-west of Brisbane , and 70km north-west of Ipswich, on the Brisbane Valley Highway. The Town is nestled below Glen Rock, which provides a setting that is picture perfect. The area was settled in the 1840s as the Wivenhoe Run, and by the 1850s and 1860s free settlers had moved into the area.The town itself was established in 18 . Brisbane Valley.
Esk today is becoming a popular area for Hobby Farming and also a convenient place to reside while commuting to the larger Centres of Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane. Esk is definately a great place to use as a base for holidays, with so much to see and do in the area, including the Lake Wivenhoe and Ravensbourne National Park.
There are many types of accommodation to choose from around Esk, from Bed & Breakfast, Motel, Guesthouses, Self Catered, Camping, Cabins and Caravan Parks are available.
Whatever your style, you'll find a great place to stay near Esk.
There are a few Tours that visit the Esk region, from both Brisbane and Ipswich.
There are many Things To See and Do around Esk and it is a great place to base Yourself for Your stay.
Start with a visit to the Esk Visitor Information Centre at Esk.
Esk Visitor Information Centre
82 Ipswich Road,
Esk
Queensland, 4312
Phone 07 5424 2923
Email: tourism@esk.qld.gov.au
www.somerset.qld.gov.au
Other Information Centres in the Brisbane Valley are:
Fernvale Visitor Information Centre
1483 Brisbane Valley Highway
Fernvale
Queensland, 4306
Phone 07 54270200
Fax 07 54270211
Email: fernvalefutures@esk.qld.gov.au
www.esk.qld.gov.au
Ipswich Visitor Information Centre
14 Queen Victoria Parade,
PO Box 243
Ipswich
Queensland, 4305
Phone 07 3281 0555
Fax 07 3281 0199
Email: info@ipswichtourism.com.au
www.ipswichtourism.com.au
Esk has a relaxed atmosphere with plenty to see and enjoy..
# Take a walk around the village of Esk. Get a copy of the Esk Heritage Trail leaflet from the Visitor Information Centre. Places of interest include:
- The Post Office built in 1900.
- Memorial Park in the middle of the main street, includes the 1920 built War Memorial, a stone memorial to Captain Patrick Logan, commandant of the Morton Bay Penal Settlement, who was killed in 1830 in the Brisbane Valley.
- The Cemetery, formerly the Springvale Cemetery, which has many historic graves showing the early struggles of the pioneering families of the area.The cemetery is situated on Wattle Street.
- The Grand Hotel and Club Hotel, both in the main street.
- The Butter Factory, founded in 1904, and rebuilt after burning down in 1926.This was the mainstay of the Brisbane Valley dairy industry until closing down in 1973. It can be found on Factory Lane at the north end of town.
- Lars Andersen's Esk Mill, on Adelaide Street. Esk and the Brisbane Valley were very significant Timber producers from the 1880's until the present.
# Make sure You get a copy of the Esk Heritage Trail Brochure from the Info Centre.
# Beautiful views of Lake Wivenhoe and many of the surrounding mountains can be seen from the lookout at the top of Highland Street, which gives you a wonderful overview of the town.
# Experience Esk during one of the Esk Race Days.
# Visit Caboonbah Homestead, situated north of Esk, on the Esk-Kilcoy Road. Caboonbah Homestead was once owned by the politician Henry Plantagenet Somerset. The homestead was built in 1890, operated as a guest house from 1935-1962, was a private residence from 1962 until 1973 when it was resumed by the Queensland Premier's Department as part of the Wivenhoe Dam project. It was later transferred to the Brisbane and Area Water Board and is now the headquarters of the Brisbane Valley Historical Society. Situated on top of a hill it enjoys superb views which, since the building of the Wivenhoe Dam, have included the lake created by the flooded valley below.
The Historical Society are developing the area around the homestead, and have established an important local folk museum collection, including the recently acquired McGrath Cottage. The museum is open every day except Thursday. For details phone: (07) 5423 1553.
Visit the Queensland Government EPA site For a very well written history of this Building and property.
# Visit Bellevue Homestead at Coominya. This historic homestead was built in 1893, on the Wivenhoe run which had been established in the 1840s, after the original residence had been destroyed by floods. Originally located on the banks of the Brisbane River it was moved some kilometres to Coominya in 1975 when the site was flooded by the Wivenhoe Dam. The building was once occupied by George Taylor and his wife in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Important members of Queensland society, the Taylors hosted numerous parties at the home. Their guests included King Edward VIII (when he was the Prince of Wales) and General Birdwood. The large rooms, unusual pressed metal ceilings, and beautiful cedar panelling all combine to make Bellevue a particularly interesting example of Queensland vernacular architecture. It is in fact two houses connected by verandahs. Located opposite the Coominya railway station, in Railway St, Coominya it is now owned and run by the National Trust of Queensland who open it from 10 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Thursday to Monday. For further details contact (07) 5586 4209.
# The Brisbane Valley Lakes are all within an easy reach of Esk. These include Lake Wivenhoe and Lake Somerset.
Finding somewhere to Eat out at Esk is fairly easy, with several excellent options to try.
- The Cafe/ Take away is open from mid morning till 7:00pm Monday to Wednesday, and till 8:30pm Thursday to Sunday.
- The Bakery has fresh made local products.
- The Club Hotel Serves lunch and dinner.
- The Grand Hotel Serves lunch and dinner.
For the Sports person the Esk Golf Course, is situated at 152 Hampton Rd, Esk. Phone: 07 5424 1261.
Bowles is also played on Mondays at Esk Bowls Club - Contact Paul Petrie on (07) 5424 1591.
The area where Esk is situated today was settled in the 1840s as the Wivenhoe Run, and by the 1850s and 1860s free settlers had moved into the area. In 1872 a township began to grow around a Hotel that was established at a teamsters camp where the road north crossed Sandy Creek. The town itself was planned in 1872 and lodged with the surveyor in 1873, and this was officially called “Gallanani”, which is said to be an Aboriginal name for Eastern Swamp Hen. When the railway arrived in 1886 the town continued as ‘Gallanani’ and the station was called Esk. The town was then known as ‘The Railway Town of Esk’, and was officially changed to Esk in 1913. The name Esk comes from the river Esk in Scotland.
A copper boom at Biara in 1873 helped to rapidly develop the town, which soon became the hub of the Brisbane cattle industry, a centre of Dairying, agriculture and timber milling for the local timber getting trade. By 1875 there were a store and two hotels, the Glenrock and the Royal. A police staion and lockup were built in 1877, as were the post office, telegraph office, church, primary school and several other important buildings.
In 1931 the decision was made to build the Somerset dam, the village of Somerset was established to house the men working on the dam. Work on the dam provided employment for many men during the Depression. The dam wall was started in 1937 and completed in 1941, further work on the dam was suspended until 1947 and then continued to completion in 1953.
In 1967, following several years of discussion the Queensland Cabinet approved formation of a committee that lead to the granting of approval for a dam site on the Brisbane River at Wivenhoe. First construction began in 1977, and the storage of water commenced in 1983. The Dam itself was completed in August 1985.
Esk Plays Host to Many Great Events during each Year.
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