Tall tales and friendship as Bourkeites gather on long weekend
There’s an old saying – ‘You can take the boy – or girl -– out of Bourke but you can’t take Bourke out of the boy’ and that saying has been proven true.
Every June long weekend, former Bourke residents gather as a tribe at South West Rocks for a game of footy, a round of golf and a few days of reminiscing about their beloved home town.
Craig Moran is one of the people who first organised the Bourke reunion weekend and like many others, he has attended every one of them since the very first, 13 years ago.
Apart from the Covid years, the Bourke tribe has been gathering at South West Rocks ever since, and while the faces and names may vary each year, it seems nothing will get in the way of the chance to catch up and enjoy a unique camaraderie.
“It all started when a very well-known Bourke couple, Dudley and Daphne Pratten retired to South West Rocks,” Craig said.
“When Dudley passed away, a lot of Bourke people travelled to his funeral, and it was a special occasion for all of us to meet up there.
“On the wall of the country club where the wake was being held was a poster, advertising a Golden Oldies footy match that weekend, and I said to some of the blokes ‘let’s have a go at this – look at the talent in this room!’
“Paul Lack was another Bourkeite at the wake and he said if you get the team together, I’ll donate the shirts and boots, and that’s how it began. […]
Read more and see lots of photos in the printed edition of The Western Herald.
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