Kara and Keelan answer the call of the Outback

Bourke Shire Council Economic Development Manager, Melanie Milgate, presenting Kara Azzopardi with a bouquet of flowers to celebrate her first day in business at ‘Back O’Bourke Beauty’. PHOTO TWH

With recent growth in real estate interest and five new business enterprises, Bourke is experiencing a resurgence of life as it emerges from the lockdown.

Maddy’s Place and the Outback Café in Oxley Street, the new dinner menu and new chefs at Morrall’s Bakery, the creation of ‘Back O’Bourke Beauty’ in Richard Street and KB Contract Mustering, are all indications of positive growth.

Back O’Bourke Beauty and KB Contract Mustering are two businesses owned and operated by returning locals Keelan Batson and Kara Azzopardi, who have recently made 2840 their hometown postcode.

Keelan and Kara originally came from Victoria to Bourke for a three-month stint to help a mate.

After falling in love with the town, the people, and the lifestyle, they are setting up their futures here, and have bought their own home.

Keelan’s mate, Dan Barton, needed help to keep his plumbing business alive after breaking his leg in the annual Old Boys Rugby Union grudge match three years ago.

In May this year Keelan and Kara headed north to see Australia, and ventured to the tip of Cape York, across to the Territory, down through South Australia, and back home to Victoria.

But Kara says it didn’t quite feel like home, and the call of Bourke was luring them back.

“We went to so many places and it didn’t matter where in the country we went, for some reason we kept comparing everywhere to Bourke.

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