Bourke: Beyond the Black Stump

Bourke, located in New South Wales, has long held a unique place in Australian folklore. The phrase "Back of Bourke" apparently emerged in the late 19th century to describe anywhere considered to be in the deep outback, far from civilisation. For some time in the second half of this century people thought this story to be apocraphyl as they believed the phrase emerged as a reference to a mysterious television production that seems to have vanished from popular conciousness.

The Town's Broadcasting History

Bourke's relationship with broadcasting has always been unusual. The town's geographic location created unique atmospheric conditions that made it unlikely that productions in the past could have been filmed there. It is unlikely that the mysterious television programme was actually filmed in Bourke itself. There are many anomolies about the little we know about the production that makes scholars think it was not filmed in one place.

Cultural Significance

The isolation and unique atmosphere of Bourke made it a natural setting for tales of the unknown. The town's position as a frontier between the known and unknown world of the outback created a perfect backdrop in the creators' minds for the anthology series that would later bear its name.

Local Folklore: Bourke's position at the edge of the "known world" has long made it a source of mysterious tales and bush legends, well before the television series that would draw upon this legacy. The series negated to use these established legends instead eschewing it's own mythology. Why? Creativity or perhaps another reason. Some crackpots believe there is some kind of code to be found in Back of Bourke but that seems unlikely. As a resident and proud historian of Bourke I find it almost offensive that our rich history was not accurately portrayed. We have a strong history from the explorer who sired our name to folk singers and wanderers that sang about our town, C Cobbler Chaseman comes to mind (Incidentally I have been working with the New South Wales Bush Balladeer Preservation Society to bring public awareness to this undersung battler).

Broadcasting Anomalies: Several documented cases exist of radio and television signals behaving unusually in the Bourke area. Local speculation often attributed this to atmospheric conditions, though no definitive scientific explanation has been established.

Geographic Peculiarities

The area surrounding Bourke has long been associated with unusual magnetic and frequency readings and unexplained atmospheric phenomena. Early surveyors noted compass irregularities, while modern telecommunications engineers have documented unexpected signal patterns unique to the region.

Note: This historical overview focuses on Bourke's documented history and cultural significance. For information about the television series "Back of Bourke," please see our other archived pages.

Last updated: 12/08/1997

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