Location of Bourke
From
Brewarrina, 89.89kms W (97.7kms, 1hr 20mins driving)

From
Louth, 93.05kms NE (291kms, 3hrs 53mins driving)

From
Cobar, 156.88kms N (160kms, 2hrs 7mins driving)

From
Cunnamulla, 225.98kms S (257kms, 3hrs 0mins driving)
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Description of Bourke
Bourke is not merely a town but a region that is the figurative demarcation between
Outback Australia and the east as anything to its west is referred to the ‘Back o Bourke’ a colloquial term etched deep in Australian language meaning to be a long way away from anything. On the contrary, may be far away from 'civilisation' but the further out you go, the closer you get to the essence of this land. Maybe that is what Lawson was alluding.
By the 1890's, Bourke was a major port for the transport of the southern
Queensland and northern NSW wool clip that was transported down the Darling to the Murray River and onto
Adelaide for ship transport overseas.
The Port of Bourke was the focus of the world’s wool industry with up to 80 riverboats
servicing the region.
The opening of the rail system in
Australia and the unreliability of the river flow saw the gradual demise of the 'River Highway' by the early 20th century.
This by no means spelled the end of Bourke and today it is a town that still, in essence, is the same it was back then; a town on the edge of the wilderness with great historical, cultural and geographic significance.
"if you know Bourke, you know Australia" so wrote the famous Australian poet Henry Lawson in 1882.
Text courtesy of
Outback NSW Tourism
Images of Bourke
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Weather & Climate for Bourke
Closest Weather Station
Bourke at 14:00 21 Nov EDT
Distance from Bourke 6.07km N
| Temperature | Feels Like | Rel. Humidity | Dew Point | Pressure | Rainfall | Wind Direction | Wind Speed | Gusts |
| 43.1°C |
38.5°C |
11% |
6.3°C |
1004.1hPa |
0.0mm |
WNW |
20km/h 11knots |
35km/h 19knots |
Closest Climatic Station
Brewarrina Hospital
Distance from Bourke 90.38km E
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
36.2 | 35.0 | 32.3 | 27.5 |
22.4 | 18.6 | 18.1 | 20.5 |
24.8 | 28.8 | 32.4 | 35.2 |
| Mean Min. °C |
20.6 | 20.4 | 17.4 | 12.6 |
8.4 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 5.7 |
8.9 | 12.9 | 16.0 | 18.9 |
| Mean Rain mm |
50.7 | 48.0 | 39.0 | 29.7 |
31.2 | 32.9 | 29.3 | 22.1 |
25.1 | 29.6 | 33.1 | 35.7 |
What Others Say about Bourke
Treks passing Bourke
Darling River Run
Set within the heart of outback NSW, the Darling River Run is a fascinating trek that takes you back through time. This route follows the meandering Darling River, between the historic town of Bourke and the town of Wentworth, where the Darling greets the Murray River.
Kidman Way
This bitumen route is also the shortcut from Victoria, through the heart of western NSW, up to Central Qld where it meets the Matilda Highway at Cunnamulla
[Feature Story]
Recommended Reading for Bourke
NSW Topo DVD
The ultimate 4WD, bushwalking, hunting & outdoor companion. NSW Topo includes a comprehensive selection of full color 3D maps and map data. Compatible with a PC, Pocket PC or WM Smartphone. Chances are you'll never need to buy another bush map of anywhere in Australia again.
Natmap Digital Maps 2008
NATMAP Digital Maps 2008 is the next generation of Geoscience Australia's popular NATMAP Raster 1:250 000 scale topographic digital maps.
NATMAP Digital Maps 2008 are exact digital copies of Geoscience Australia's NATMAP topographic maps. They cover the whole of Australia at 1:250 000 scale, and are current to 2006.
SH5510 Bourke
This 1:250K topographic paper map covers an area about 150km from east to west and 110km from north to south (1.5 degrees longitude by 1 degree latitude). The map contains natural and constructed features including road and rail infrastructure, vegetation, hydrography, contours (interval 50m), localities and some administrative boundaries.
Australia Aus Tour DVD
A must have for the long distance explorer. Here, Memory-Map teams up with Hema to bring you their acclaimed 4WD and regional maps together with 13 interactive Map Guides.The Map-Guides provide great information on each region, bushwalking, campsites and 4x4 tracks with text and photos.
Outback New South Wales
The Outback New South Wales Map features the most detailed combination of road pattern and distances ever produced for the area. The back of the map lists details on what to see, where to go, and what to do when you get there. This edition now also contains a GPS grid showing camping areas and tourist information.
New South Wales Handy Map
Hema’s State Handy Maps clearly show highways, minor and secondary roads, national and state routes and fully-indexed cities, towns and localities. Detailed road distances are also shown. All of the maps are double-sided and come in an easy-to-fold format.
New South Wales State Map
Great for travel planning, Hema’s State Maps clearly show highways, minor and secondary roads, national and state routes and fully-indexed cities, towns and localities as well as showing country campsites. Detailed road distances are also shown.
Best Bush Forestry
The Best Bush map lists hundreds of accessible recreational areas, as well as tips on the use of different areas. This information will help the reader camp, 4WD, canoe, picnic and explore the bush of NSW easily.
Important Notes
 | Whilst indicating location of water supplies, ExplorOz makes no recommendation with regard to the quality of water for drinking purposes. We strongly recommend that when travelling you take ample supplies of water from reliable drinking water sources. |