Outback tourism is on the rise, with savvy operators making the most of growing interest over the past decade.
Tourism to outback Queensland has been steadily on the rise since the start of the 2010s, with visitor numbers up by 77 per cent from what they were a decade ago.
According to Tourism and Events Queensland figures, in the year ending June 2019, the outback Queensland region recorded 1,076,000 visitors, adding up to 6,185,000 nights and $724.1m in expenditure.
The figures work out at an average growth of 5.9pc in visitor numbers, 7.6pc in nights and 9.6pc in expenditure each year.
TEQ CEO Leanne Coddington said over the past 10 years there had been strong growth in visitor numbers to outback Queensland.
"Events in particular have been hugely beneficial to the outback because they give people a reason to travel and experience the destination," she said.
Ms Coddington said the outback continued to be an important part of TEQ's marketing approach, featuring heavily in their most recent marketing campaigns.
"In addition to the range of events on offer throughout the Outback, this year being the Year of Outback Tourism has helped promote the region and drive visitation," she said.
"New infrastructure has also been built, from the glass bridge at Cobbold Gorge to the Age of Dinosaurs expansion at Winton - attractions that will continue to excite visitors for years to come."
Since its 2009 move from David and Judy Elliott's make-shift fossil laboratory at Belmont to The Jump-Up site, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum has seen visitation increase by an average 18 per cent a year, going from 4842 visitors in 2009 to 36,937 visitors in 2018.
Work is now underway on two new infrastructure attractions: the Gondwana Stars Observatory and March of Titanosaurs exhibition.
Australian Age of Dinosaurs business development manager Naomi Miles said a lot of planning goes into driving the museum's growth.
"It is a critical objective of the museum to not only be sustainable but also act as a catalyst for job creation and economic activity in the outback, to build a stronger regional community into the future," she said.
Ms Miles said the new attractions are expected to open in September 2020.
The planned 7000sq m Museum of Natural History due to be finished in 2022 is expected to drive visitation even further, with it expected to surpass 80,000 people a year within its first five years of operation.
Also reaping the benefits of higher tourism numbers is the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach, jumping from 42,000 visitor numbers in the 2009/10 year to 46,000 in 2018/19, the highest number of visitor since its opening.
It's forecast that visitor numbers will increase to 56,000 a year by 2024.
"Qantas Founders Museum began as a small community museum in 1996 and has grown to be a world class museum and a major tourist attraction in our region," CEO Tony Martin said.
"It is an exciting time to be working in tourism in outback Queensland as we continue to see our industry grow and develop in incredible experiences which will attract visitors to our region."
One attraction capitalising on the growing demand for outback experience is luxury lodge Mount Mulligan, located on a working 28,000 hectare cattle station 160km north west of Cairns.
The Northern Escape Collection purchased Mount Mulligan in late 2014, and the lodge opened to the public in April 2019. In the opening season, it welcomed guests from North America, the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan and across the eastern states of Australia.
Executive director of the Northern Escape Collection Hayley Morris said even in remote and rugged environments there was a growing demand for luxury tourism.
"I believe there's still more that can be done to encourage tourism to outback Queensland," she said.
"There are opportunities to combine sustainable agriculture and tourism, two important pillars of the Queensland economy.
"More marketing and emphasis on foodie trails will allow travellers to support the local artisans, hear the stories behind the farms and plantations from the source, and sample the locally grown and flavoursome produce of North Queensland."