UPDATE BOURKES TOURIST ATTRACTIONS BOURKE TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE

The Tourist Office offers travellers general information, including road reports, weather reports and do it yourself Mud Map tours, you may have heard of in the past. We have a great selection of souvenirs for sale and a great display of photos and history of the Bourke district. We also offer 2-3 hour tours for a small fee to the many attractions close to the Bourke township that includes a Vineyard, Cotton farm and Gin in season plus much more. Inquire at the Bourke Tourist Office in Anson St. or Ph (02) 6872 1222. tours for a small fee to the many attractions close to the Bourke township that includes a Vineyard, Cotton farm and Gin in season plus much more. Inquire at the Bourke Tourist Office in Anson St. or Ph (02) 6872 1222.">

THE DARLING RIVER Bourke was established in 1859 as a paddleboat destination. It was surveyed in 1862 and became the major inland port on the Darling River. Paddleboats ran the Darling until 1931.

THE BOURKE BRIDGE [North Bourke] One of the first lift up bridges built over the Darling River in 1883. Travelling north you will venture over the new bridge, which is situated next to the old one.

THE LOCK AND WEIR Built in 1897 to ensure a permanent supply of water to the town. The Bourke Lock was the first to be built in Australia and the only one on the Darling.

Mt OXLEY 49.5k by road from Bourke to the Southeast heading towards Brewarrina. Magnificent views from the top. Wedge-tailed eagles are to be seen. A key and information is available from the Tourist Office.

Mt GUNDABOOKA A large hilly area about 80k's Southwest of Bourke. Consists of beautiful Australian bushland. The area has a number of Aboriginal rock paintings and is a wonderful place for bush walks. Superb views are available and kangaroos, emus and other wildlife are to be seen in abundance. Contact the National Parks & Wildlife Service on 02 6872 2744 for further information. A key is needed to get to the site.

FORT BOURKE STOCKADE (Replica) A replica of a log stockade built 35 k's down stream from Bourke by the explorer Major Mitchell in 1835. It was named after the then Governor of the Colony and the name was later transferred to the district and the town.

REPLICA OF THE BOURKE PADDLEBOAT WHARVES At the end of Sturt Street

"GATEWAY TO THE REAL OUTBACK" Mural [Anson St] painted by John Murray.

LEDKNAPPER WILDFLOWERS (Spring only) 47k north of Bourke on the Mitchell Highway along the Kidman Way and 32k's to the east, is in an area where unique native wildflowers grow in abundance in the spring mostly after good winter rain or late summer rain.

ABUNDANT BIRDLIFE The area abounds in bird life with more than 140 species identified in the district. Emus, Pelicans, Wedge tailed Eagles, Brolgas, Galahs, Budgerigars and white and black cockatoos are among the most common birds to be seen. Make sure you ask for our bird list that will show you some of the birds identified in the area.

ENVIRONMENT AND INDUSTRY ARTESIAN WATER Artesian Bores are an essential source of water for stock in the region. The first really large flow of artesian water in Bourke district at Kallara Station near Tilpa between Bourke and Wilcannia, and probably in Australia was found at Kerribee Station about 70 miles west of Bourke in 1888. Pera Bore, an old experimental irrigation farm along the Wanaaring road has a display that shows the type of produce grown with the use of artesian bore water at the latter stage of last century until the mid 20's

WOOL Wool and sheep have been a major industry in the Bourke District for over a century. The Shire has supported an average of 930,000 sheep per year over the last 15 years generating an average 4.5 million kg's of wool each year.

COTTON Due to the ideal climate, Cotton has proved to be highly successful and now over 10,000ha of cotton has been planted and is expected to return $60,000,000.00 to the district. The industry is a major employer in the area. Stuart runs a wonderful Mini bus tour which takes you around the town and to the cotton farms, cotton gin (April - August) and citrus etc and leaves frequently from the Tourist Office. Ph 02 6872 1222 .

HISTORICAL BUILDINGS OF OLD BOURKE Some of the Oxley St buildings consist of The Old London Bank (1888), Courthouse (1900),Post Office (1880), and Post Office Hotel (1888). At the corner of Mitchell and Wilson Streets is the Carriers Arms Inn, frequented by Henry Lawson in the early 1890's and mentioned in some of his stories. The Inn was also a Cobb & Co coaching stop on the Hungerford route. Further along Mitchell and Wilson St is the Old Towers Drug Co Building (1889), the Lands Department Building (1898), the Riverside Motel (once the Telegraph Hotel built in 1875), and the Catholic Church, St Ignatius.
This is Bourke's oldest documented building and was opened the first Sunday after Easter in 1874. For a guided tour of Bourke and its Historic Buildings contact Bourke Tourist Information

BOURKE CEMETERY Bourke is the resting - place of 1991 Australian of the Year Professor Fred Hollows. Eye Surgeon Fred Hollows developed a commitment to Aboriginal health. He was instrumental in the development of Aboriginal medical centres and the launching of the national trachoma and eye health program. Fred's concern for eye health soon spread and he set up clinics in Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Vietnam and in Latin America. Also in Bourke cemetery are graves of several Afghans associated with the camel trade that ceased in the 1920's. The graves of two policemen killed on duty (one by a bushranger), the grave of local poet F.H.Brown and many other graves of historical interest can be found there.

RESTAURANTS AND CAFES THE PORT OF BOURKE HOTEL
Mitchell St
Ph (02) 6872 2544
Restaurant open on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights 7pm till late and special occasions only.
Bistro open Tues, Fri, Sat nights
Counter Meals available Lunch, Monday to Saturday. Dinner, Mon, Wed, Thurs.

ELYSIAN CAFE
Oxley St
Ph (02) 6872 2079
Open 6 Days per week
9am to 6pm / Mon - Friday and 9am -2pm Sat

NEW VOGUE ROADHOUSE Mitchell St Ph (02) 6872 2330
Open from 7am to 9.30pm Mon to Sat, 8am to 9.30pm Sun.

LOXLEY'S STORE
Mertin St Open 7 Days.
Take away food till 8pm every night
Ph (02) 6872 2226

GECKO CAFÉ
Oxley St
Ph (02) 6872 2701
Open 6 Days Mon - Fri from 8.30am - 5pm, Sat 8.30am - 2pm

BOWLING CLUB RESTAURANT- JANDRA
Open 7 days for lunch
12 - 2pm and dinner from 6pm - 10pm Ph (02) 6872 3064

OXLEY CLUB - EXPLORERS RESTAURANT
Cnr of Mitchell and Sturt St
Open Monday to Saturday for Lunch and Dinner
No counter lunches Sunday and Monday (Lunch on Monday by booking for large groups only) Ph 02 6872

1414 MORALL'S BAKERY
Mitchell St
Open Monday to Saturday
Ph (02) 6872 2086

KIDMAN WAY CAFÉ
Mitchell St
Open 7 days 7am to 10pm

CLUBS OXLEY CLUB (RSL)
Cnr Mitchell & Sturt Sts
Ph (02) 6872 2633
Open from 10am to 11pm - Mon to Sat. Sun 10am to 10.30pm
Counter lunches 12 to 2 on weekdays, 12 to 2 on Sat (See above in the Restaurant section)

BOWLING CLUB
Cnr Richard & Mitchell Sts
Ph (02) 6872 2190
Dinning room and counter lunches.
Open from 12 Midday everyday except lunch on Monday

ACCOMMODATION DARLING RIVER MOTEL
Cnr Mitchell St & Warraweena Sts
19 units, air cond, pool
Ph (02) 6872 2288

MAJOR MITCHELL MOTEL
Richard St
16 units, air cond, pool. STD Phones
Ph (02) 6872 2311

OUTBACK MOTEL
Mertin St
11 units, colour TV, air cond
Ph (02) 6872 2716

RIVERSIDE MOTEL
Mitchell St
18 units, pool, BBQ, colour TV, air cond
Ph (02) 6872 2539

PORT OF BOURKE HOTEL
Mitchell St
Ph (02) 6872 2544 20
rooms, air cond, restaurant.

BULLAMUNTA CARAVAN PARK
(Mitchell Highway North Bourke)
River frontage, fishing, powered sites
Ph (02) 6872 2257
Mostly for itinerants

MITCHELL CARAVAN PARK
Mitchell St, near high school
Ensuite toilet & shower, camp sites, air cond hire vans,
BBQ. Ph (02) 6872 2791

KIDMAN'S CAMP
Nth Bourke on the Cunnamulla Rd
Cabins and Powered sites
Ph (02) 6872 1612 Fax(02) 6872

3107 COTTAGE ACCOMMODATION
51 Hope Street
Ph (02) 6872 2837
Rob and Vicki Gransden
Self-contained cottages
Quiet area close to shops
4 bedrooms - kitchen - barbecue - air-conditioned/heating
Stay overnight or weekly.

AMBULANCE
Cnr of Sturt and Mitchell Stt
000 24 Hour emergency service

BANKS Open standard Bank hours
Colonial State now in Culhanes Store
Ph (02) 6872 2877 for full customer service
Westpac Agency
Ph (02) 6870 1053
Commonwealth with ATM
Ph (02) 6872 2057
National
Ph (02) 6872 2022
Most shops have cash out access with

EFTPOS facilities

CHEMIST
Towers Drug Store Oxley St.
Ph (02) 6872 2004
Open Mon-Fri 9.30am to 1pm, 2pm to 5.30 pm, Sat 9am - 12pm

CINEMA
The Oxley Club shows feature films on most weekends

DENTIST Ian Liddell Operates from Bourke Medical Centre.
Ph (02) 6872 2488
Cnr Glenn and Darling St
Open from 9am Mon-Fri

DOCTOR'S
2-3 Doctors are available at the Medical Centre
Darling St. Ph (02) 6872 2211/6872 3222 Open from 9am Mon-Fri

TAXI'S
Mick McHugh (02) 6872 2530
Stan Douglas 02 6872 2726 - 0419 271 008
Lonnie Davis 02 6872 1760 - 0417 428435

HOSPITAL
Bourke District Hospital - 24 Hour Emergency Service Tarcoon St
Ph (02) 6872 2566

POLICE
24 Hour Station Richard St Ph
(02) 6870 0899

NRMA
Richard St as part of Bourke Smash Repairs
Ph (02) 6872 2217
Open from Mon to Sat - 24-Hour emergency service

MOBILE PHONES
Digital phones only operate within a 20-k radius of town

SERVICE STATIONS SHELL ROADHOUSE
Anson St
Ph (02) 6872 2101
Open from 7am to 7pm 7 days per week

AMPOL DEPOT
Anson St
Ph (02) 6872 2458
Open from 8.30am to 5pm Mon to Fri 24 hours 7 days per week with Ampol Card

NEW VOGUE ROADHOUSE
Mitchell St
Ph (02) 6872 2330
Open from Mon to Sat 7am to 10pm, Sun 8am to 10pm

BROWN'S SERVICE STATION
Warraweena St Ph (02) 6872 2512
Open 7days from 5am to 8pm in winter and 9pm in summer

FRANK'S BP SERVICE STATION
Mooculta St
Ph (02) 6872 2357
Open 7 Days from 4.30am to 8.30pm

SUPERMARKETS RITE-WAY
Cnr of Warraweena St & Darling St
Ph (02) 6872 2613
Open 7 Days from 7.30am to 7.30pm

5 STAR SUPERMARKET
Mitchell St
Ph (02) 6872 4083
Open 7 Days until 8pm

TRAVEL AGENCY BOURKE COURIER SERVICE
Oxley St
Ph 02 6872 2092
Open Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm

Please contact the Tourist Office if a business is not on this document on 02 6872 1222