If you know Bourke you know Australia
Henry Lawson
WELCOME
'Back O' Bourke'- one of the most recognisable terms in the Australian vocabulary, but where, or rather 'what' is it? It is people and it is landscape, solitude and mate-ship. It encompasses history, culture and nature, as well as invention and ingenuity. Small towns and big distances, wide open plains and narrow tracks. As much a concept as it is reality, and only ever truly understood through experience.
This is our backyard. These concepts and hazy vision are the realities of our day to day lives. We can no more point you towards the Back O' Bourke than you could, because we are it. We are the people, the places, the stories and traces. Follow any path you like to get here, take any means available to you, and know that when you arrive you will be invited to discover the hidden journeys Back O' Bourke has to offer.
See & Do
Back O' Bourke Information and Exhibition Centre
The Back O' Bourke Information and Exhibition Centre is set amongst the native garden of the river red gums on the banks of the Darling River.The cen…
Mount Oxley Rossmore Station
An hour spent with eagles in the silence atop Mount Oxley looking across a 100-kilometre expanse rekindles the experience of explorers Sturt and Hume…
Jandra Paddleboat
Experience the famous Darling River aboard the majestic Jandra Paddleboat. Enjoy one of the relaxing daily cruises, or book a private charter for you…
Stay
It's the bitterest land of sweat and sorrow. But if I were free I'd be off tomorrow Out at the Back O' Bourke
Henry Lawson
Social
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TOO SOON TO TALK EASTER? NEVER. We’ve only just waved goodbye to Mundi Mundi… or Muddi Muddi this year, Christmas is banging on the door and here we are already talking Easter in the Back O’ Bourke! Why? Because Easter out here is just too much fun not to. So this week we’re digging through the photo album and sharing some of the faces, fun and maybe a few questionable decisions from Easters gone by. Have a look through the pics — you might even spot yourself! Tag your mates, share the memories and if it’s been a while since you joined us… maybe 2027 is the year you come back. Save the dates. Start planning. Come back and do Easter in the Back O’ Bourke with us! #BackOBourke #OutbackNSW #communitystories
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HAVE YOU EVEN BEEN ON THE JANDRA… if you didn’t leave with a hat pin, magnet or cap? 😂 We’ve loved welcoming almost 4,000 passengers aboard since Easter — and we’re not done yet! There are still a few months of cruising left, so if the Jandra is still sitting on your Bourke bucket list, it might be time to fix that. Cruise the Darling-Baaka, enjoy the view and yes… you can get the hat pin afterwards. See you soon out here in the Back O’ Bourke.
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IT’S WET OUT WEST… AND WE LOVE IT! We love the rain, we love the puddles and we love having you here in the Back O’ Bourke. But here’s the deal — if a road is closed, it’s CLOSED. Not “she’ll be right”, not “I reckon we’ll get through”. Closed. Council spends plenty keeping our Shire road network in good nick, so please be a good traveller and respect the closures. And locals… yep, we mean you too. Knowing the road doesn’t give you a special pass! Enjoy the beautiful wet weather, don’t be a wet rag and wreck the roads for everyone else. And if you’re looking for somewhere you’re actually SUPPOSED to find water… The Jandra is on the river — and it’s always wet. Jump aboard!
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WELL… YOU’RE ALREADY OUT WEST. COME SEE THE BACK O’ BOURKE. If your Mundi Mundi plans have changed thanks to the beautiful wet weather — and yes, we said beautiful. We’re bush people… you’ll never hear us run down good rain — keep heading west and come our way (rain this way yet). If you’re already nearly at Bourke, trust us, there’s plenty here to fill a few days. Big skies. Sunsets you’ll dream about. The Darling River looking magnificent. Spring starting to show off. History, culture, great food, little villages and plenty of country roads to explore. Make Bourke your base, slow down for a couple of days and see a bit more of the Back O’ Bourke. You’ve come this far… may as well keep going. #VisitBourke #OutbackNSW #BackOBourke #CommunityHistory #campingvibes
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Meet Peter — your friendly Census Field Officer! Peter is one of a team of three Census Field Officers in Bourke this week, helping our community get counted. You’ll find the team at the Bourke Public Library this Thursday and Friday from 9am–12 noon, ready to help with paper forms, online Census questions or anything you’re not quite sure about. Peter and the team will also be out and about around Bourke, collecting completed forms and offering guidance to anyone who still needs a hand. So if you spot Peter around town, be sure to say G’day! Haven’t completed your Census yet? Peter and the team are here to help you get it sorted. Get counted, Bourke. Make your voice count!
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BOURKE – HAVE YOU DONE YOUR CENSUS YET? If not, don’t panic – you still have time! And that talk going around that you’ll be fined because you’re late? Not true! So don’t let that stop you from getting it done. Peter and the Census team are in Bourke this week only and ready to help. No paper copy? Need a hand online? Or just want someone to help you get it sorted? Head around to the Bourke Public Library TODAY, tomorrow or Friday between 9am and midday. Whether you live here, you’re new to town, live out in one of our villages or were staying in Bourke Shire on Census night – we want you counted. Our numbers matter. Let’s make sure Bourke Shire gets a true count! Get it done. Get counted. Make your voice count! Bourke Shire Council
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HEADING TO MUNDI MUNDI THIS WEEK? Don’t just drive through the Back O’ Bourke — stop and have a look around! Make Bourke part of the road trip, but don’t forget our villages either. Take the turn, pull up for a while and discover Byrock, Enngonia, Louth, Wanaaring and Fords Bridge if your travels take you that way. Country pubs, little bits of history, big skies, long roads and plenty of characters along the way. Fill up when you can, take a photo or two, have a yarn with a local and enjoy the drive — because getting to Mundi Mundi is part of the adventure too. See you somewhere around the Back O’ Bourke!
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BACK O’ BOURKE INFORMATION & EXHIBITION CENTRE The Bourke Visitor Information Centre — or, as you’ll hear most locals and visitors call it, simply “the Back O’ Bourke” or “the Centre.” It’s your starting point when you arrive in Bourke. Call in, have a chat with the team, pick up a local map, find out what’s open, what roads to take, where to eat, what to see and all those little local tips that can make a trip. While you’re here, take your time through the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre, grab a coffee at the café and plan the next stop on your Bourke adventure. Start at the Centre. Then discover the Back O’ Bourke.
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THE DARLING RIVER | BOURKE You really can’t visit Bourke without spending a little time by the Darling. Once the highway of the outback, the Darling River played a huge part in Bourke’s story — bringing paddle steamers, wool, trade and people through what became one of Australia’s busiest inland river ports. Today, it’s a little quieter. Take a walk along the river, stop at the historic Bourke Wharf, watch the birdlife or simply find a spot and take it all in. And if you want to experience the Darling properly, jump aboard the PV Jandra and see Bourke from the water. The river isn’t just part of our history — it’s part of Bourke.
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BOURKE POST OFFICE | 1880 Another piece of Bourke history hiding in plain sight. Built in 1880 and designed by renowned NSW Colonial Architect James Barnet, the Bourke Post Office is still very much part of everyday life in town. Open Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm — and there’s a fair chance you’ll find a local or two out the front having a chat, with a parcel, letter or bill in hand. Discover more about the Post Office and other historic buildings on Bourke’s Windows to the Past Walking Tour. #photography #historymatters #cobbandco #outbackaustralia #backobourke Take a walk. Look a little closer. Discover Bourke.
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⛄️POP A PIN IN BOURKE BEFORE CHRISTMAS! Most of Australia does Black Friday sales on a Friday… Out here in Bourke, we reckon SATURDAY sounds much better! No sickie required. No day off work. Just come shopping! CHRISTMAS ON THE MAIN Saturday 28 November | 9am–1pm Oxley Street, Bourke We’re bringing the markets into the Main Street with local businesses, market stalls, sidewalk sales, Christmas bargains and plenty happening around town. There’ll be music, a jumping castle and room for the kids to run around in Darling Park while you tick off that Christmas list. And once the shopping bags are full? Wander to the pub for lunch or head to the Bowlo for Chinese! Come for the markets. Shop local. Stay for lunch. Have a wander around Bourke. Pop a pin in Bourke — Saturday 28 November!
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Wherever you're pulling up for the night... make sure Bourke is one of your stops. Whether you're staying at a caravan park, hotel, motel, free camp, farm stay, village pub or simply taking a well-earned break by the side of the road, be sure to spend some time in Bourke. Slow down, take it all in and discover why we're proud to call this place home. Explore our rich history, cruise the Darling River aboard the PV Jandra, wander our walking trails, visit local attractions and have a yarn with the locals who make this region so special. Before you head off on your next adventure, call into the Back O' Bourke Information & Exhibition Centre. Our friendly team can help you discover the hidden gems, plan your journey and make the most of your time in the Back O' Bourke. Sometimes the best part of the trip is the stop you didn't rush through. #OurStories #BackOBourke #australianhistory #destinationnsw