Bourke is preparing for one of the biggest weekends on the local events calendar, with the Back O’ Bourke Easter Festival returning from Friday April 3 to Easter Monday April 6, 2026.
Now celebrating 11 years, the festival features four days of community events, sport, markets and family activities across the town.
The weekend begins on Good Friday with church services, the Easter Colour Run, station tours, social bowls and the relaxed Back O’ Bourke Billabong Sessions in the evening.
On Easter Saturday, the Bourke Racecourse hosts the Bourke Parkrun, while the Easter Markets take over the Wharf and Darling Park precinct with stalls, food, kids activities and entertainment.
One of the highlights of the Saturday program is the wool bale rolling competition and junior swag toss, offering a fun and uniquely outback challenge for competitors of all ages.
The highlight of the weekend arrives on Easter Sunday with the Back O’ Bourke Race Club’s Harry Hart Memorial Picnic Races at the Bourke Racecourse. The day also features a giant Easter egg hunt with more than 6,000 eggs, river cruises on the Darling River, church services and rugby league action at Davidson Oval.
Festivities wrap up on Easter Monday with a full-day Outback Station Tour to Dunlop Station, a Darling River cruise, museum exhibitions and more opportunities to explore Bourke’s historic attractions.
Throughout the long weekend visitors can also explore local attractions including the Back O’ Bourke Information and Exhibition Centre, exhibitions at the Back O’ Bourke Gallery, and a wide range of cafés, pubs and businesses open across the town.
With racing, markets, family entertainment and uniquely outback events like wool bale rolling and the swag toss, the Back O’ Bourke Easter Festival continues to be one of the highlights of the regional events calendar.
View the full program of events below, follow Back O’ Bourke Easter Festival on Facebook or contact the Back O’ Bourke Information and Exhibition Centre on 02 6872 1321.
