ESK Esk is the first ‘major’ town out of the Brisbane region when traveling north out of the major centre. Esk is a really nice small town that has most essential services. Esk is right on the fringe of the commute distance to Ipswich that may drive some growth into the future. Esk is also a ‘café set’ town, that thrives at weekends with the greater Brisbane weekend and day tripper. Heritage factors are important for Esk and the number of old buildings and past history is on display. Be sure to check out these old poster adverts. 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. Several sawmills were built and in 1904 a butter factory opened. The timber industry declined in the 1920s and dairying slowed from the 1960s onwards, which has eventually led to the decline of the town's importance as a major rural centre The Esk War Memorial was erected in 1921 to record the names of 462 Shire residents who enlisted during the WW1. It also contains bronze honour rolls bearing the names of 83 local men who fell during the war. Four commemorative plaques have subsequently been added to the structure. The Catholic and Anglican Churches are very old but undated wooden buildings. The Presbyterian and United likewise are very old. There are two very old hotels. The Club has had its centenary, and the Grand was built in the early 1920’s. Esk is a very nice small town that has a lot for the visitor to enjoy, so an overnight is recommended.   Heritage diary