Esk River (Queensland)

Esk
River
Country	Australia
State	Queensland
Regions	Far North Queensland, Wet Tropics of Queensland, Cape York Peninsula
Source	Great Dividing Range
- location	below Dowlings Hill
- elevation	356 m (1,168 ft)
- coordinates	15°35′20″S 145°16′30″E / 15.58889°S 145.27500°E / -15.58889; 145.27500
Mouth	Walker Bay, Coral Sea
- location	south of Cooktown
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	15°31′50″S 145°16′04″E / 15.53056°S 145.26778°E / -15.53056; 145.26778Coordinates: 15°31′50″S 145°16′04″E / 15.53056°S 145.26778°E / -15.53056; 145.26778
Length	20 km (12 mi)
Location of Esk River mouth in Queensland

The Esk River is a river located in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia.

The river rises below Dowlings Hill, sourced by runoff from the Great Dividing Range, and flows north across the mostly uninhabited coastal plain. The Esk River enters the Annan Forest Reserve and flows through a wetland dominated by mangroves. At its river mouth, the Esk River is joined by the Annan River and together the two rivers discharge into Walker Bar and then onto the Coral Sea approximately 7 kilometres (4 mi) south of Cooktown. The river descends 356 metres (1,168 ft) over its 20-kilometre (12 mi) course.

Much of the Esk River catchment lies within protected area tenure. As of 2013^[update] the river appeared to be in a healthy condition with limited siltation and only infrequent pockets of erosion.

Floods in 1910 recorded the Esk River as 12 feet (3.7 m) over the normal river height.