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
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…
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…
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…
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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Looking for something to do this June Long Weekend? 🌿 Why not head out to the stunning Gundabooka National Park and join the National Parks team on Saturday 6 June as they celebrate 30 years of Gundabooka National Park. A great chance to get off the beaten track, enjoy the landscape, learn a little local history and celebrate one of our region’s special places. 📅 Saturday 6 June 📍 Gundabooka National Park 📞 RSVP by 28 May – 02 6830 0200 📧 npws.bourke@environment.nsw.gov.au Pack the camera, round up some friends and make a day of it out in the Back O’ Bourke.
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The weekend is upon us… and Bourke is looking pretty good after a decent drink of rain ☀️ The puddles are slowly drying up, the skies are clearing and there’s plenty waiting for you across Bourke and our beautiful villages. Cruise the Darling, chase a sunset, explore the Wharf precinct, visit our National Parks or simply slow down and enjoy a country weekend without the rush. Fuel up, stay longer and take the long way around the Back O’ Bourke.
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The Darling is looking beautiful after the rain and the old girl is ready to roll 🚢 If you’ve arrived in Bourke for the weekend, don’t leave without jumping aboard the Jandra Paddle Vessel for a cruise along the Darling–Baaka. Watch the puddles dry up from the deck, spot the river gums shining after the rain and enjoy one of the best seats in town. Cruise Times: ▪️ Monday – Saturday: 9am & 2:30pm ▪️ Sunday Lazy Afternoon Cruise: 2pm – 4pm 🎟 Tickets available at the Back O' Bourke Information & Exhibition Centre or onboard before departure.
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We’re always telling you to look up and take it all in… but this one deserves a VERY big reminder. 📍 Bourke is in a PRIME viewing position for the Australia-wide Total Solar Eclipse on SATURDAY 22 July 2028! Here’s what the afternoon will look like in Bourke (AEST): 🌘 12:27pm — Partial eclipse begins 🌑 1:50pm — TOTAL eclipse begins ⏱ Totality will last around 4 minutes 🌗 3:09pm — Partial eclipse ends That’s nearly THREE hours of skywatching… with the middle of the afternoon turning dark right above Bourke. And if you know Bourke… you know we won’t let a moment like this pass quietly 😄 You can bet there’ll be celebrations, visitors, cameras pointed skyward and a whole town soaking up a day that will go down in the history books for Bourke. So maybe this is your sign to start thinking about July 2028 now… because the countdown is officially on 🌞🌚 #visitbourke #backobourke #solareclipse #outbacknsw #lookup #bourkensw
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Louth Field Day is back for 2026 🤠🌾 Saturday 6 June 📍 Elsie Eade Park, Louth ⏰ From 10am 🎟 Gold coin entry A great day out west with local exhibitors, agriculture, machinery, livestock, market stalls, country catches ups and plenty of good old outback hospitality. With exhibitors travelling in from across the region, it’s shaping up to be a fantastic community day for locals, visitors and anyone keen for a road trip to Louth. #louth #bourkensw #fieldday
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🌧️ Jumping puddles and smiling from ear to ear out here in the Back O’ Bourke. A beautiful steady rainfall has rolled across the Bourke Shire overnight and throughout today — and fair to say, the country is absolutely loving it. 🚧 A friendly reminder to travellers AND locals… if the road says CLOSED — stay off it. Even if you “know the road” better than the bloke who graded it last week. If you’re already in Bourke chasing that outback adventure, maybe take it as a sign to slow down a little: ☕ grab another coffee 🍳 book a few extra nights at the park 🌧 watch the rain roll in 📸 and enjoy seeing the outback soak up every single drop Because gee whiz… we needed this rain! #raingdays #bourke2840
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Rather than waiting until you arrive… why not explore the Back O’ Bourke before you hit the road? 👀 Plan the trip, pick your stops, book the cruise, check out the villages, find your next sunset and start building the adventure before you even unpack the car. That way when you get here, you can slow down a little… Stop. Look. Listen. Discover our history, see and do the unexpected, enjoy a lazy walk, a cold drink, a river view or a yarn with the locals. From the Darling to the villages and beyond — there’s plenty waiting for you out here. 🌾 Start exploring: https://www.visitbourke.com.au/ #visitbourke #backobourke #outbacknsw #seeaustralia #explorensw
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Ever explored Bourke’s Maritime Trail? ⚓ This self-guided adventure is one of those hidden local gems that mixes river history, bush tracks, relics and some seriously good stories from Bourke’s paddleboat days. Walk it. Drive it. Stop along the way and scan the QR codes to hear local historian Paul Roe bring Bourke’s maritime past to life — from paddle steamers and explorers to the famous P.S. Wave relic and the story behind Lawson’s “The Union Buries Its Dead”. Keep an eye out for wildlife too… kangaroos, birdlife, emus and if you’re lucky, a brolga or two around the billabongs. A little bit of history, a little bit of adventure and a whole lot of Bourke.
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Weekend’s almost here… so what’s stopping ya? 😄 We’ve got fuel, friendly faces, cold drinks, good pub feeds and plenty of room for you to pull up for the weekend… or longer if you like. No traffic lights out here — but we do have running water, electricity and sunsets worth sticking around for 🤎 Jandra cruises, pub lunches, murals, trails, National Parks, Mt Oxley… or just sitting beside the life blood of Bourke — the Darling River — doing absolutely nothing at all. And honestly? That last one might be the best option. So pack a bag, throw the esky in and head west. Bourke’s ready when you are. #outbacksunset #RoadTripReady #MakeMemories #OutbackNSW #TheGreatOutdoors
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Evening friends from the friendly Back O’ Bourke team 🤎 Tomorrow’s looking pretty tough… Do you: ▪️ Wander out and visit Fred Hollows Grave ▪️ Tackle the Maritime Trail like a Bourke explorer ▪️ Snap a pic at the Percy Hobson Mural ▪️ Settle in for lunch at the pub ▪️ Or simply pull up a chair beside the Darling River and watch Bourke life drift by nice and slow No alarms. No packed shopping centres. No rushing around. Just Outback NSW doing what it does best 🤎 See ya soon… or thanks for rolling into Bourke and backing our town.
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Good morning friends from the friendly Back O’ Bourke team. So… what’s the plan today? 🚢 Jandra Cruise on the Darling 🌾 A wander through our beautiful National Parks ⛰️ Sunset plans at Mt Oxley 🐑 Slowing things right down with a farm stay 🍻 Lunch at the village pub ☕ Or simply reading the Daily Telegraph with a cuppa while soaking up this perfect autumn glow Whatever your Outback adventure looks like today — take the long way around, enjoy the slower pace and don’t forget to say g’day along the way. Bourke’s waiting. #BackOBourke #RoadTripReady #MakeMemories #outbacksunset #StayLonger
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Happy Mother’s Day from the Back O’ Bourke Team 🤎 To the mums, soon-to-be mums, nans, aunties, step mums, carers, the women who step up when needed — and even the dads doing both jobs — today’s for you. Thanks for the rides, the advice, the snacks, the cuddles, the chaos control and somehow always holding it all together 😄 Whether today brings flowers, family lunch, a coffee in peace or kids climbing all over you before 7am… we hope you feel appreciated not just today, but every day. And to our own Back O’ Bourke crew working or enjoying the day off — your girls rock 🤎 Love, The Back O’ Bourke Team X