Back Of Bourke Hotel (The) in Bourke

Back Of Bourke Hotel

Great news , a temporary Pub is now open and trading for the faithful!! - Simpy.

"The Pub was built by my great grandfather William Murphy. It burnt down last Wednesday night (5/5/2010)

"My mum's dad (Walter Rowland Murphy) was born in the pub (29/9/93) and lived there for the first 7 years of his life.

His Father built the pub after making heaps of money during the 1890 flood when the whole of Bourke town were camped at North Bourke because the main town was flooded out.

He was proprietor of the Bridge Hotel up the road during the flood and he named his new hotel down on the corner near the North Bourke Bridge the 'Australian Hotel' (commonly known as Murphy's Pub).

The road coming west off the Bridge was bent around his pub and the one next door rather than the pub being moved.

It later became the Riverview Hotel and that's what it was when we arrived in Bourke in 1996 (commonly known as the Northy) and later the name was changed again to Back O Bourke Hotel (I think).

Some Photo's attached
Regards

Kevin"

The building on fire by the owners (Anne-Marie & Phil Parnaby) of the 'Back O Bourke Motel' (up the Hungerford road a bit) and the morning after photos were taken by the owners (Jen & Steve Greentree) of 'Back O Bourke Gallery' just up the Enngonia road a bit.

Comments from when it was open

Great looking Pub.

Pre 2010 "back of Bourke" in colloquial use refers to being a long way from anywhere and means that that this is where the outback starts.

Or alternately if you are sitting at this bar you are in the closest part of the outback to the capital city Sydney.