The Aussie saying ‘The Back ‘O Bourke’ refers to a remote or backward place. The NSW town of Bourke, on the bank of the Darling River in the State’s northwest is certainly remote at 800 kilometres from Sydney. This historic town known as the ‘gateway to the outback’ is definitely not backward. Once a major 19th-century river port and trading post, Bourke is full of heritage landmarks, Indigenous culture and striking national parks.
Bourke offers visitors a true taste of Australia's rugged landscape and pioneering spirit. Visiting the iconic Bourke Wharf and the historic cemetery also offers a glimpse into the town’s past. Enjoy a scenic river cruise on the Jandra Paddleboat or head to the Gundabooka National Park, with its striking red cliffs, Aboriginal rock art, and abundant wildlife. Bourke’s unique charm and history make it a memorable destination on an Outback NSW holiday.
Bourke tours take visitors into the heart of the NSW Outback, to some wonderful destinations and attractions. A great place to start is at the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre, a modern museum set amongst native gardens on the banks of the Darling River. Here visitors learn of the area’s rich cultural history, early explorers, settlers, graziers and the paddleboat trade.
At the exhibition centre, hear stories of the traditional owners of the region, the Ngemba people, Bourke stockmen, bushrangers, Afghan cameleers and legendary Australian poet Henry Lawson who lived in Bourke in the 1890s.
In town, take the historic trail past significant buildings, many heritage-listed and dating back to the 1900s. Visit Bourke Court House, the most inland Maritime Court in Australia, The Post Office Hotel where the infamous Breaker Morant stayed when in town or the historic Roman Catholic Church and Lands Department building.
Learn about Bourke’s colourful paddle steamer history with a cruise along the famous Darling River aboard the majestic Jandra Paddleboat, a replica of the original built in 1894 in Mannum, South Australia. Her replica was commissioned in 2000 and became the first paddle boat to operate on the Darling River in over 60 years. A relaxing cruise aboard Jandra allows visitors to get a taste of river life as it was during Bourke’s river port heyday.
A short drive from Bourke is Gundabooka National Park, stretching from the Darling River, across the plains and over Mount Gundabooka. With vast open stretches and a beautiful creek-fed gorge, Gundabooka is home to the sacred Yapa (Mulgowan) Aboriginal rock art site of the Ngemba and Paakandji people. Another spot to visit is Mount Oxley, rising dramatically from the flat plains. It’s the perfect place to catch a magnificent Outback sunrise of sunset.
It takes about nine hours to drive to Bourke from Sydney. It’s around eight hours from Canberra.
Known as 'stone country people', the Ngemba (Ngiyaampa) people’s country stretches south and west through the Cobar Peneplain Bioregion.
In 2021, 2,340 people were living in Bourke, NSW.
Morrall's Bakery in Bourke first started baking goods in 1908. It has become a famous stop for Bourke tours with its popular range of freshly baked pies and bread. The shop has been in the Morrall family since it first opened with the business handed down from father to son through the generations.
It is now owned by John Milgate who worked for the Morrall family from the age of 13 after school through to an apprenticeship. John and his family now run this much-loved business, keeping the Morrall’s iconic baking traditions alive.
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We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them, their cultures, and to the elders both past and present.
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