Australia Bourke is a small, friendly town with a population of approximately 3000 people , situated on the Darling River.

Bourke is approximately 760 kms from Sydney and 360 kms from a major centre; Dubbo. It is often referred to as the 'Gateway to the Real Outback' due to its isolated location in North Western New South Wales. Bourke has a hot dry climate and can get over 40 Degrees Celcius in the Summer.

Bourke is the centre of a thriving cotton industry and lays claim to the world record for a 2 stand gin. Bourke is also a major producer of grapes, apricots, citrus, plums and melons. Other crops such as peanuts and Napunya honey are also starting to develop.

Bourke also has some beautiful historic buildings, some of these include the Post Office and the local courthouse. Another point of interest near Bourke is Mt Gundabooka. The rock paintings in this National Park are wonderful examples of Aboriginal art of the Western Plains. The mural is a recent addition to our main street. It reflects a variety of Australian themes.

A number of factors have made Bourke a great location for a wide variety of farming activities. Large numbers of sheep and cattle are still farmed on properties in the surrounding areas.

In the 1830's and 1840's European explorers went in search of the alleged 'Inland Sea'. Sturt, Mitchell, Dowling, Burke and Wills were just some of these explorers. They trekked 1000 river miles from Brewarrina to Wentworth.

The Darling River was traditionally used as a highway to transport wool to major centres to be sent overseas. The North Bourke Bridge (pictured left) was drawn up to allow paddlesteamers through. It is now used for more recreational purposes, such as fishing, swimming, water skiing etc.

Australia | Top of Page Welcome |About Our School | Classrooms | Latest Happenings | Where We Live