Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

back o' Bourke en · ADV

From the town of Bourke in north-western New South Wales. By supposition, even further west and north than Bourke.

(Australia, informal, not-comparable) At or to an extremely remote place.
- Mated in the Wild took the audience back o’ Bourke — to Central Australia to be exact. 1979, Eric Reade, History and Heartburn: The Saga of Australian Film, 1896-1978, page 28:
- “We're getting Back o′ Bourke, sport, a bit of a ways from the bitumen,” Ian notes, huffing a bit. 2009, Chinle Miller, Desert Rats: Adventures in the American Outback, page 110:
- Gilchrist has a head that would have passed unnoticed Back o′Bourke where they played cricket using termite mounds as stumps. 2002, Garrie Hutchinson, Gilly the Great: The Best Australian Sports Writing, 2002, page 13:

From the town of Bourke in north-western New South Wales. By supposition, even further west and north than Bourke.

(Australia, informal) An extremely remote place.
- There were a few Aussies on site, but most preferred to work in or around Perth. The large majority would venture no farther than the coastal resorts, classing the back o'Bourke (back of beyond) as a “no-go” area. 2007, Kevin Noble, Chris Foote Wood, Baghdad Trucker, page 93:
- “Where ya headed mate?” “In the back o′ bourke,” said Kate, “and we'll need roo bars and a rack.” 2009, William Efford, Picaroon, page 238:

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
the back o' Bourke		canonical	lexicographic