114 years before being bypassed in 1997 when a new bridge carrying the Mitchell Highway was opened just downstream. By 1885 Bourke would be accessible by rail, confirming its position as a major inland transport hub. Like many outback Australian townships, Bourke would come to rely on camels for overland transport, and the area supported a large Afghan community that had been imported to drive the teams of camels. A small Afghan mosque that dates back to the 1900s can be found within Bourke cemetery. As trade moved away from river transport routes, Bourke's hold on the inland trade industry began to relax. Whilst no longer considered a trade centre, Bourke serves instead as a key service centre for the state's north western regions. In this semi-arid outback landscape, sheep farming along with some small irrigated cotton crops comprise the primary industry in the area today. Bourke's traditional landholders endured a similar fate to indigenous people across Australia. Dispossessed of their traditional country and in occasional conflict with white settlers, they battled a loss of land and culture and were hit hard by European disease. While the population of the local Ngemba and Barkindji people around the town of Bourke had dwindled by the late 19th century, many continued to live a traditional lifestyle in the region. Others found employment on local stations working with stock and found their skill as trackers in high demand. A large influx of displaced Aboriginal peoples from other areas in the 1940s saw Bourke's indigenous community grow and led to the establishment of a reserve in 1946 by the Aborigines Protection Board. The majority of indigenous settlers were Wangkumara people from the Tibooburra region. In 1962 in Perth, local high jumper Percy Hobson became the first person of Aboriginal descent to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal for Australia. The tall Hobson jumped above his height to win the event with a Games record leap of . Hobson was celebrated on his return to Bourke and greeted by a brass band playing "Hail the Conquering Hero". A park and illustrated water tower now contribute to his memory. Heritage listings Bourke has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: 3-7 Meek Street: St Ignatius Roman Catholic Church and Convent 45 Mitchell Street: Towers Drug Company Building 47 Oxley Street: Bourke Post Office Richard Street: Bourke Court House 5 Richard Street: Ardsilla 17 Sturt Street: Old London