Rain, hail or pandemic, if you're leaving town northbound one of Jim Ashworth's two days a week roadside you'll get the kind of farewell usually reserved for friends and family.

Known locally as simply 'the waving man', Mr Ashworth makes sure to give a wave to every single car who passes his stall selling veggies and small plants.

While the lack of dry-season tourists has impacted his business like many others, Mr Ashworth says the pandemic overall 'hasn't really bothered me too much.'

'Of course it's all a bit concerning," he said.

"It's all been a bit hit and miss lately, some days people might pull over for a chat and buy something.

"Sometimes nobody does and that's okay as well," Mr Ashworth said.

He says he too thought a lot of tourists might come into Katherine once the borders were opened.

Overall, however, he said the slight increase in traffic he's observed at his post seems to be mostly Territorians.

"I do keep an eye on the number plates and it's still almost all Territory plates," he said.

"I'd say there was a little lift maybe two or three weeks ago, and a bigger one about a month and a half before that.

"It's bloody quiet for this time of year and I'm not getting much business.

"But you know, I'm not really all that fussed anyway," Mr Ashworth said.

When asked whether he ever tires of the endless greetings and farewells he gives drivers, Mr Ashworth's response was simple.

"This is my primary source of income but to be honest I mainly do it to stay busy, I'm retired so I don't have much else to do anyway," he said.

"People often do wave back but it doesn't both me all that much.

"Really I just think it's a nice thing to do," Mr Ashworth said.

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