"The South Esk River was the scene of one of Australia's earliest hydro-electric developments. In 1895 the Launceston City Council began generating electricity from a power station at Duck Reach. The scheme went ahead after considerable controversy and early opposition. Much of the dissent stemmed from suspicion of the new technology but some people suggested it was to be constructed in an area prone to flooding. In 1929 floodwaters rushed down the gorge of the South Esk and destroyed the power station."