For those who don’t know its history, Barrow Creek – 280km north of Alice Springs and about halfway to Tennant Creek – might seem like any other remote place in Australia’s Central Desert.

For those who do know, it’s the site of one of the most ­notorious crimes in the Australian outback.

Just outside Barrow Creek, 20 years ago, British backpacker Peter Falconio was killed, and his girlfriend Joanne Lees was abducted.

South Australian man Bradley Murdoch was convicted of Mr Falconio’s murder, but the body has never been found. Ms Lees escaped from Murdoch’s car and hid in the roadside scrub, before eventually flagging down a passing road train driver who drove her to Barrow Creek.

The roadhouse is home and workplace to Les Pilton and Helen Jones, two of the three residents who live in Barrow Creek today. Les has been the face of Barrow Creek for more than 30 years.

Inside, the roadhouse walls are covered in writing, plastered with thousands of old pictures of visitors.

Hats adorn the doorframes, while memorabilia and quirky bits and bobs, including jars of preserved deadly snakes, fill every corner.

But the memories of Murdoch are not fond, even for those whose town was made famous by the killing.

“Not interested,” Helen said quickly, looking away. “That’s old news.

“I don’t want to say anything I shouldn’t.”

Les rubbed his face with one hand and grimaced to think that 20 years had passed since the night they took a terrified and battered young woman, who had been on a holiday with her partner before hearing a gunshot and never seeing him again, into their care and showed her kindness and hospitality.

Les was called as a witness to Murdoch’s trial four years later, in 2005.

“It’s water under the bridge,” he said. “The jury saw to it and that’s that.”

Next to the roadhouse, the Barrow Creek Station gives drivers a chance to stretch their legs and read about the history the area is less known for.

A handwritten entry in the visitors’ book at the station, dated August 4, 2020, by South Australian travellers Mark and Michelle Ingham, reads: “Loved it all. Great spooky tales.”

It may be a history the locals are ready to forget but it seems for visitors, Barrow Creek will always be marked an obvious stopping point as they, perhaps unknowingly, retrace the footsteps of holidaying Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees.