Where "Back of Bourke" Comes From
The phrase first appears in print in a poem titled "At the Back o' Bourke," published in Sydney's "The Bulletin" on 15 February 1896, written by Scottish-Australian poet William Henry Ogilvie under the pen-name Glenrowan. It depicts stockmen, swagmen, and teamsters working the harsh inland country around Bourke, the most remote town in far north-western New South Wales.
By April that year "The Bulletin" was fielding reader questions about the phrase, and by July it was being referenced as an already well-established piece of Australian slang — a remarkably fast journey from one poem to entrenched vernacular. It's part of a broader Australian habit of borrowing specific remote place names, alongside "Woop Woop" and "beyond the black stump," as shorthand for the middle of nowhere.
Source:
"They moved to the back of Bourke."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Used loosely for anywhere that feels a long way from civilisation, whether or not it's anywhere near the actual town of Bourke — "they moved to the back of Bourke" just means somewhere remote and quiet.
It carries a light note of exaggeration, often said half-jokingly about a friend's new address or a long drive.
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