GUNDABOOKA National Park, which is situated 60km south of Bourke and covers 64,000ha, is a hidden gem and is well worth spending a few days exploring if you can afford the time. Plus, it’s within easy reach of Bourke for those who want to make it a day trip.
Bourke itself is around 800km northwest of Sydney, and is situated on the Darling River. While the traditional owners of this land (the Ngemba and Paakandji people) have called this place home for hundreds of years, the first white explorer to come here was Charles Sturt in 1828. Several years after Sturt’s excursion, explorer and surveyor Thomas Mitchell travelled through the area, and in 1835 the settlement of Bourke was begun.
The Darling River was used as a transport system for various types of freight and Bourke soon began to boom when the river level was
