Somerset Regional, Administrative division in South East Queensland, Australia
Somerset Regional is an administrative division in South East Queensland centered on Esk, encompassing the Brisbane Valley and surrounding water catchments. The area contains farmland, river systems, and major water storage facilities serving the broader region.
European pastoralists started settling along the Brisbane and Stanley Rivers in the 1840s, initially raising sheep on available land. This early occupation shaped the area's economic development for generations.
The land has long been home to the Jagera, Yuppera, Ugarapul, and Dungibara peoples, whose connection to country remains visible in the landscape and place names today.
The area is best explored by car, as communities and towns are spread throughout the region with river valleys defining the landscape. Visitors should expect rural roads as primary routes between settlements.
Two major dams, Somerset and Wivenhoe, store water for millions of people across South East Queensland and form the region's critical water supply backbone. These reservoirs were built to support Brisbane's expansion and remain essential to daily supply today.
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