The home postcodes of those visiting the centre are recorded and, naturally enough, the proportion os those from Queensland and NSW have skewed in comparison to last year given COVID-19 lockdowns and border closures.

In June 83 per cent of all visitors were from NSW, but visitation from the North Coast (24 per cent), Northern Rivers (14 per cent) and Mid-North Coast (eight percent) was up on last year. Tourism manager Caitlin Reid feels this is due to the television advertising running in those areas.

Last month Queenslanders comprised just 10 per cent of visitors, a significant decrease on last year, with the majority coming from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The figures may lift as the advertising rolls out in these areas.

The VIC has been busy since fully re-opening on June 29. Ms Reid said an interim window service caught some visitors off-guard but they were appeased when it was explained that the centre is manned by volunteers, many of whom fall into the vulnerable category, making full service impracticable at that time.

The past few weeks with overlapping school holidays has been hectic with families, particularly from the coast, apparently keen to hit the road for a day trip after the frustration of lockdowns. A visit to a National Park appears to be the tonic.

"There are plenty of activities to do while social distancing," Ms Reid said, "and there's always somewhere to go and have a feed."

Economic development manager Harry Bolton said COVID-19 has certainly put a dent in council's tourism plans, but its impact has been severe for many local businesses.

"A lot of them were already struggling, after the bushfire and drought, but they've copied really well."

He feels that government support in the form of JobKeeper and other packages has helped, and has been relatively easy to access. Accommodation businesses have been hit hard with the lack of travellers, but to his knowledge all have kept operating and workers from Bolivia Hill and other projects have filled rooms.

Mr Bolton has been impressed by the ways businesses have reinvented themselves in order to cope, such as converting to takeaway operation, and the responsible way in which they are now opening up while paying close attention to social distancing requirements.