Keanu Bates tagged along on tours at Mutawintji National Park as a child.
Now he is teaching the history of the ancient Indigenous ceremonial grounds, northeast of Broken Hill, to up to 60 people a day.
"Mutawintji has never seen this many visitors in the time that I have been here," he tells SBS News.
His tours have been so busy since regional tourism opened up in New South Wales, he is going to have to train up more guides to him out.
The Barkandji man is happy that more people from the city are now exploring the Australian outback.
Part of the tour is an explanation of engravings in the rock. Source: Lucy Murray
"We're all a part of the country now and knowing more about our [Indigenous] sites and places, the more respect that will be given," he says.
"These mountain ranges and hills are not just mountain ranges and hills - they are places where stories were kept by our people."
"[The tours] give a lot of understanding of what our sites really are."
In the historic mining town of Broken Hill, on the border with South Australia, shops are busy with first-time outback travellers.
Emus are one of the totem animals of the Barkindji people. Source: Lucy Murray
Rosie Siemer manages a clothing store in town.
"We had five years of drought, then COVID. Tourism has really saved Broken Hill at the moment, as far as I am concerned," she says.
"It just takes the pressure off, everyone is a little bit happier.
"It is nice to see the street so busy, usually it can be quiet for a couple of days during the week, but at the moment there are always people wandering around," Ms Siemer says.
Outback outfitter Rosie Siemer said the atmosphere in town is vibrant. Source: Lucy Murray
"People are actually spending, they are making a conscious effort to come out here and spend in regional areas."
Tony and Loraine Sullivan, who are from Newcastle, had planned a trip to Vanuatu and Tahiti this year, but instead of white sandy beaches, they are exploring the red dirt.
"We cannot travel overseas and we have never seen the outback, so we thought we would come out and give it a try," Mr Sullivan says.
Tony and Lorraine Sullivan have never been to the outback before. Source: Lucy Murray
"It was on the bucket list, but it got accelerated up the bucket list when we could not travel because of COVID-19."
Broken Hill is a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Adelaide, 10 hours from Melbourne, and 13 from Sydney, but it's still less than a flight to Europe.
Country bakeries are always a hit with tourists wanting to refuel after a long journey and Broken Hill baker Greg Lively says his sales were up at least 20 per cent in August and September.
"The increase of the tourists has been very welcomed," he says.
Broken Hill is a historic mining town also known as 'The Silver City'. Source: Lucy Murray
"We have not had to lay anyone off or reduce anyone's hours, so it has been good from that perspective."
Winter is peak tourist season in central Australia, but this year the season has been extended, with towns still busy in November.
Mayor Darriea Turley says it has allowed stores and hotels to make up for business lost during the lockdown.
"Our tourist numbers are better than ever ... we have see probably a 50 per cent increase in our tourism, and we have a different type of tourist at the moment, someone who is cashed up and someone who wants to stay in a motel and someone who wants to stay longer," she says.
Mayor Darriea Turley says Broken Hill is happy to welcome more visitors. Source: Lucy Murray
"When you talk about tourism, it is about jobs. That money flows straight into jobs and straight into the economy and every dollar is multiplied."
Along with tourists, the outback has had rain this year, allowing wildflowers like the Sturt's desert pea to bloom for the first time in three years.
The Sturt’s desert pea needs the rainfall to flower. Source: Lucy Murray
This time last year 99 per cent of New South Wales was drought-affected. Now that is down to just 12 per cent.
