Given that Australians at large could not go overseas in 2020 and again in 2021 travel companies hooked on to the Birdsville Races as an event to take tourists to, of course at a fee.
Apparently the Port Douglas resort is at the time of this posting 85% full, and many other resorts in FNQ are not too far behind. Plenty of people with money and nowhere to go (i.e Melbournians).
I'm sure things will return to normal when the "Hiltons without the blow flies" open up again.