Bourke is a city in the north of the Australian state of New South Wales . It is located about 800 kilometers northwest of Sydney on the south bank of the Darling River , which is crossed by two bridges in the north of the city. Bourke can be reached via the Mitchell Highway and Bourke Airport.
In 2016 there were 1,824 people living in the village, 38.0% of whom are Aborigines .
Bourke was settled by British settlers in the 1820s. The place was originally called Prattenville and was renamed after the Governor of New South Wales, Richard Bourke , in the 1830s . Bourke used to be supplied by camel caravans (→ Camels in Australia ) and was home to a large Afghan community of camel drivers, as can be seen today in a mosque on the cemetery grounds.
Originally, Bourke was an important port for the transportation of wool from the sheep raised in the area. The river port was abandoned after Bourke was connected to the railroad in 1886. The railway operation was stopped in 1988. The former train station now houses a tourist information center.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology, Australia, data: 1871–1996
economy
The landscape around Bourke is characterized by sheep farming and some fruit and cotton fields near the Darling River. The area suffered from severe drought in 2005-2008, which threatened the existence of agriculture.
In order to revive the economy, Bourke invested in the old port in 2008/09 and wants to make tourism attractive with steam ships .
