Created in partnership with seven local government areas, the guide aims to link 29 local producers with visitors to create a new income stream.

Extraordinary Pork’s Michael Hicks said he was always interested in tourism, and the program was a great way for the organisation to get a leg up and get started.

“We’re able to market our service and start to receive some income. Not only has the money we’re getting from the tourist trade been able to ‘drought-proof’ our farm, but it’s another market of opportunity for us to sell our produce,” Mr Hicks said.

Jo Stewart from The Gourmet Goat Lady said people were hungry for agricultural knowledge.

“It’s a big thing for us to be able to share that,” Ms Stewart said. 

“One of the things my husband’s had trouble with is the things that we do every day and find absolutely mundane and boring, are the things that they find absolutely fascinating.”

Ms Stewart said everyone needed to know more about the food they were buying. The tours would also provide a great economic boost, she said.

“[An average of] $151 is added to our region every time someone stays an extra night, that’s a phenomenal thing, and if you can get people hopping along- they come to Dubbo for the zoo and then they go to something else like the emu farm and stay for an extra week- it’s big money for our area,” Ms Stewart said.

Spearhead of the project, Dubbo Regional Council economic development officer Jacki Parish said while the tour operating marking would not provide a great enough income to sustain the business, it would be able to “fill a void” when times were tough.

The initiative is a collaboration between Dubbo, Gilgandra, Mudgee, Narromine, Nyngan, Warren, Warrumbungles and Wellington.