 By 1877, there was significant political pressure to minimise the diversion of trade from western New South Wales to Victoria and South Australia via river trade along the Darling and Murray rivers.The town of Bourke had become the key centre for pastoralists in western New South Wales since its formation in 1861.Provision was thus made to extend the line to Dubbo, reaching Wellington in 1880 and Dubbo in 1881.