The Poets Trek

The Poets Trek A trek across the great, grey plains and mulga studded red sandhills back o' Bourke that inspired some of Australia's greatest bush poets.

“Possibly one of the most important treks in Australian literary history” ~ Bruce Elder - The Sydney Morning Herald

Arguably the most profound and enduring landscape associated with Australian bush poetry is that of the outback, and in no way is that better articulated than the annual ‘Poets Trek’ in Bourke. Bourke has a well known association with Henry Lawson, who spent less than a year in the

region, but found such deep and lasting inspiration in the landscape and people, that it became a feature of his writing for all his days. Scottish born Will Ogilvie spent years working on and returning to Belalie Station and, though buried in his homeland, claimed to the last that ‘the Back of Bourke’ was where his heart remained. Breaker Morant – a figure synonymous with Australian individuality rode and wrote all across the plains of the West, and even Banjo Paterson found inspiration in the dusty flood-plains of the Barwon and Darling Rivers. Every year, poetry lovers, intrepid travellers, seekers of rare gems and lovers of Australian culture congregate in Bourke to join the two-day trek which explores these outback landscapes, and reconnects them (and us) with the words that were inspired by them. The Poets Trek travels along the route taken by Lawson on his famous 200km walk to Hungerford on the Queensland Border. It meanders through the back roads once ridden by the Breaker, Ogilvie and bushrangers Starlight and Midnight. The trek courses through the famed Barringun Hotel and Belalie Station which both held close association with Ogilvie, returning to the iconic North Bourke Bridge to close off the journey over the river which has been the lifeblood of Western NSW and the inspiration for some memorable poems. Travellers will tour through the historic sites of Bourke, walk along the Warrego, Paroo and Darling Rivers and travel through the Cuttaburra basin. They will visit the Port of Bourke, Fords Bridge, Royal Mail (Hungerford) and Tattersall’s (Barringun) Hotels. The journey will take them to lonely bush graves, hidden waterholes, forgotten way-stations, innovative and iconic buildings, rare collections and atmospheric sheds. All the while, guest poets, reciters, historians and yarn-spinners weave the narrative of the landscape through both traditional and modern verse. The Back O Bourke Centre and the Bourke Arts Council facilitate the tours, which are all taken in the comfort of a locally provided coach, or by ‘tag along’ tour in your own vehicle. All meals are provided and the one overnight stay at Hungerford is ‘5-star’ (you can see all of them through the roof of the shed)- it’s a ‘bring your own bedding’ deal, but on a trip like this, you wouldn’t have it any other way. The Trek departs Friday the 27th, overnighting in Hungerford and returning via Barringun on Saturday the 28th. Saturday evening’s entertainment will be another night of verse at the back of the Port of Bourke Hotel in the form of the annual poetry performance competition. Bookings are required by the 20th of September 2013. To book please call the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre: 02 68 721 321
For further information contact Andrew Hull: 0427 919 964 or Jono Roe: 0437 697 976

08/09/2016

Big week in Bourke for the Festival of a Thousand Stories ! And more to come with the Bruce Delany Stories tonight and then The Captain Starlight Express festival jam band Friday at the Port of Bourke.

Congratulations to all those who took part in the Byrock to Bourke for Beau Charity Ride on Saturday. $7000! What a great effort!

Jason Roweth recites Henry Lawson's The Green-Hand Rouseabout on the boards of the Toorale shearing shed during the 2015...
14/09/2015

Jason Roweth recites Henry Lawson's The Green-Hand Rouseabout on the boards of the Toorale shearing shed during the 2015 Poets Trek.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEo3s2fLCcQ

Jason Roweth recites Henry Lawson's 'Greenhand Rousabout' in the historic Toorale Woolshed, where the poem originated - on the annual Poet's Trek - Bourke, N...

01/09/2015

The Poets Trek sets off tomorrow on our brand new route! We are looking forward to exploring Toorale National Park - Kurnu Baakandji/ Paakantji. Country. and Dunlop Station Louth Nsw before a great night of entertainment at Shindy's Inn with Poetry on a Plate's Andrew Hull, plus Jason and Chloe Roweth, and Dave Graffin. Come join us in Louth!

A sneak peek at a story in tomorrow's Western Herald:(Book your spot now!)Toorale, Dunlop, Louth, Gundabooka: new route ...
22/07/2015

A sneak peek at a story in tomorrow's Western Herald:
(Book your spot now!)
Toorale, Dunlop, Louth, Gundabooka: new route for historic trek

Four historic Australian locations will feature on the brand new route for Bourke’s iconic Poets Trek.
For more than 20 years, the Poets Trek has been sharing the amazing stories of Bourke’s past with visitors and locals, taking them on a two-day experience tour in the footsteps of renowned poets Henry Lawson, Will Ogilvie and Harry ‘the Breaker’ Morant.
Since its inception, the Poets Trek has followed the same route from Bourke to Hungerford and back via Barringun and Enngonia, but this year organisers have decided to do something a little different.
“We wanted to mix it up a bit,” said Jonathan Roe, who has been helping coordinate the Trek for the past few years.
“As anyone who has done the Trek before can tell you, the journey out to Hungerford and back is an amazing experience and the history is incredible, but there are so many more stories in the Bourke district that need to be told.”
So for the first time ever, this September the Poets Trek will venture off its normal route to the Queensland border and instead make its way down river, visiting the historic properties “Toorale” (where Henry Lawson cut his teeth as a rouseabout) and “Dunlop”, both once part of the great pastoral empire of Samuel McCaughey.
The Trek then heads to Louth in time for the setting sun to catch the amazing Mary Mathews monument, the incredible tribute built by Louth’s founder, T.A. Mathews, for deceased wife.
The story inspired local musicians Andrew Hull and Tonchi McIntosh’s CD “Firestone” and Hully will be on hand at Louth to perform the show live at Shindy’s Inn along with the help of a few friends.
The next morning, the Trek will take in the sights and stories of the majestic Gundabooka ranges before returning to Bourke.
“We are really excited about this trip,” said Jonathan. “While we certainly aren’t abandoning the Hungerford route, this new adventure means we can offer a different experience to people - maybe on alternating years - and show off a bit more of the fascinating history of the Bourke Shire.”
The Poets Trek leaves Bourke on Wednesday, September 3 and returns the following day September 4.
Historian Paul Roe, story teller/poet Andrew Hull and guest musicians will be on the Trek, which costs $330 and included meals, transport accommodation. More information can be found at www.poetstrek.com.au or by calling the Bourke Visitor Information Centre on 68721321.
The Poets Trek is proud to be part of the Festival of a Thousand Stories - Bourke’s annual celebration of storytelling, art, poetry and music - taking place this year on September 1-5.
This year’s Festival program will be available soon and includes, live music, writing workshops, art and photography exhibitions, live story readings, local history tours and more.
Check out the Festival website (www.festival1000stories.com.au) for more information or follow the Festival of a Thousand Stories on Facebook.

A unique way to discover Australia by following in the footsteps of our poets

Coming soon will be details of the Poets trek for 2015. Join us this year on the 2nd and 3rd of September as we trek to ...
28/06/2015

Coming soon will be details of the Poets trek for 2015. Join us this year on the 2nd and 3rd of September as we trek to Louth for the evening of the 2nd. Costs and itinerary later this week. Here is a great image of the Monument at the Louth cemetery. We will be in Louth for the setting of the sun on the 2nd to experience the glow of this monument as the sun goes down. Image by Simon Bayliss.

Some pics from 2014 trek. Held during Festival of a Thousand Stories
05/09/2014

Some pics from 2014 trek. Held during Festival of a Thousand Stories

A small selection of pics from the 2013 trek.
05/09/2014

A small selection of pics from the 2013 trek.

Now attracting International Headlines is the Poets Trek. get in touch about reserving your place for 2014. Phone 0268 7...
24/10/2013

Now attracting International Headlines is the Poets Trek. get in touch about reserving your place for 2014. Phone 0268 721321.

A SCOTS expat has finally restored his nation's honour by paying back a 121-year-old debt to an Australian racing club. Scots-born poet and horseman Will

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