Jagara is one of the Aboriginal languages of South-East Queensland. There is some uncertainty over the status of Jagara as a language, dialect or perhaps a group or clan within the local government boundaries of Ipswich City Council, Lockyer Regional Council and the Somerset Regional Council. Esk formed part of the southern border of the Garumga clan of the Dalla tribe. The land around Esk was first explored by Captain Patrick Logan in 1830. The town was established to service the short-lived copper mines of Eskdale and Cressbrook Creek. Settlers moved into the region during the 1840s. Mount Esk Post Office opened on 1 February 1874 and was renamed Esk by February 1881. Mount Esk State School was opened on 1 November 1875 and was renamed Esk State School in 1887. In 1886, the Brisbane Valley railway line reached Esk from Lowood. Several sawmills were built and in 1904 a butter factory opened. The timber industry declined in the 1920s. In July 1941, a Lutheran church was opened. Dairying slowed from the 1960s onwards, which has eventually led to the decline of the town's importance as a major rural centre. At the 2006 census, Esk had a population of 1,166. The Esk Library opened in 2009. The Caboonbah Homestead was destroyed by fire on 10 May 2009. During the 2010–11 Queensland floods, the centre of Esk was flooded when Redbank Creek burst its banks for the first time in recorded history. In the 2011 census, Esk had a population of 1,755 people.
On 30 November 1920, Dr Graham Butler laid the foundation stone of the Esk War Memorial. The finished memorial was unveiled by General Lachlan Chisholm Wilson on 27 August 1921. The memorial records the names of 462 Shire residents who enlisted during the First World War. It also contains bronze honour rolls bearing the names of 83 local men who died during the war. Four commemorative plaques have subsequently been added to the structure. The war memorial stands in Esk Memorial Park, which also contains a memorial to Captain Logan, who was murdered while exploring the Brisbane Valley in 1830.
Economy
The small town serves as a centre for a rich farming area.
Education
Esk State School is a government primary school for boys and girls at 49 East Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 172 students with 15 teachers and 9 non-teaching staff. As there is no high school in Esk, students from the Esk State School typically attend ToogoolawahState High School in Toogoolawah, Lockyer District High School in Gatton or Lowood State High School in Lowood or private schools in and around Ipswich.
Amenities
The Somerset Regional Council operates a public library at 19 Heap Street. Esk township is also serviced by a local Hospital and racecourse and plans are underway for a retirement village. The Esk branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 5 Heap Street.
Attractions
Nearby attractions include Lake Somerset and Lake Wivenhoe, both lakes created by dams which provide a number of camping areas with facilities and opportunities for water-based recreational activities including boating, canoeing, fishing and skiing and Ravensbourne and Crows Nest National Parks. The historic Bellevue Homestead is located in the area. Also close by are the peaks Glen Rock and Mount Esk.
