Bourke NSW July 8 2024

 Bourke NSW July 8 2024

There are some days when you pull out onto the highway, and you just know, straight away, that its going to be a long day. Today was one of them. To be honest I struggled the entire 220km from Nyngan to Bourke. The road is dead straight and heads North West. The ‘high’ light of the day was reaching 240 metres above see level at Coolabah, before drooping back down to 170. The scenery the entire way until 10k out of Bourke is 3 metre tall mallee scrub past which you can see nothing. Wall to wall. And its raining. Has been all night. The country doesn’t drain because its as flat as a billiard table, the road doesn’t drain, because it has no crown. There are two distinct ruts where the water lays, except for when it pools. You daren’t hit them too fast or you will be pulled to one side or aquaplane of the planet.

And then you reach Bourke, rivalled only in drab and bleakness by others such a Walgett.

We headed for Kidmans Camp, it may or may not be the only caravan park here. You can't book, you have to just get here and take a chance. Cunnamulla or Brewarrina are options if you luck out. We booked into Cunnamulla months ago and called yesterday to confirm. They are turning 20-30 vans away a day... So Kidmans camp it is. Staying overnight only? Centre lane pick any spot, drive through. Yes, well, we cruised up and down and picked a spot with what looked like a promising piece of dirt sticking out of the mud. I abandoned shoes and worked in bare feet, sloshing through the muddy slime like the little mud-gudgeon that I once was.

Us parked up at Kidmans Camp. Bourke NSW

Into town for some fuel and some lunch. Fuel was oK, not even as dear as Canberra. Why is this so?

This....is not the one we used. Bourke NSW

Anyhow, lunch we found back near the van park, at a pub called “Northys”, because its in North Bourke. Had an excellent steak sandwich, so that’s a winner.

Went back down to town and found the crumbiest [sorry] looking bakery west of Dubbo, but again had an excellent lamington and a good cup of coffee. So thats a win as well.

Went to visit the highly vaunted Back-o-Bourke experience / side show. It’s there but may as well not be. Basically one small room with some brochures and take-away tat for the tourist. Cafe: Closed, Exhibition centre: Closed. Gallery: Closed. To be fair, the attendant responded unasked to our private exchange between ourselves, as to the location of the cafe with a terse, “Closed for renovations.” We concluded our short perusal of the available brochures and other ephemera and left. The last time we were here the place was alive: we saw a fantastic bullock driving demonstration and had a nice feed in the cafe. That’s why it has that reputation for being a ‘must-see’.

Back to the van. Hey, it’s stopped raining. Judy acquainted herself with the underside of a doona and I went for a walk in search of the Darling River and the PV Jandra. Found both, in exactly the same place they were 8 years ago. The PV Jandra services are temporarily suspended to to an unforeseen circumstance: they can't find a skipper.

'PV Jandra' marooned on the Darling River, Bourke NSW