How going 'rogue' made boy from Bogan Gate an overnight social media sensation

He was the shy kid at school. The kid who chucked a sickie the one time he was meant to get up on stage at an assembly.

And he wasn't even asked to speak, he was simply meant to play the piano in the background.

But today, the Bogan Gate-born and bred social media personality is putting himself out there for millions to see.

And he's absolutely loving it.

He has amassed a large following across multiple platforms, and it all started with a simple video that went viral 10 years ago - Bogan Gate Tour.

Growing up on a farm, in a town with less than 300 people, was not where Mr Coombs wanted to spend the rest of his life.

"I couldn't wait to get out of there," he said, laughing.

He moved to Sydney when he was 18 years old and began studying media, majoring in radio.

During his studies, there was an assessment that required students to create a fake radio show and a Facebook page to go along with it.

His role was the show's producer, because he was "too shy to be front and centre", but Mr Coombs decided to "go rogue" one day when returning home to Bogan Gate for the Christmas holidays.

With many of his Sydney friends not believing he was actually from a place called Bogan Gate, he thought it would be funny to do a video tour of the town and post it to the fake radio show's Facebook page.

"We had 200 fans on our page, which I thought was enormous at the time," Mr Coombs said.

"I'd ordered myself a $30 tripod off eBay and I had to go pick it up from Bogan Gate Post Office, so I thought while I'm here let's give this tripod a whirl.

"I filmed that tour video not thinking it would go viral at all, and that was literally the first video I ever made and put out into the world where it was me front and centre."

Very quickly, Mr Coombs went from being the behind-the-scenes boy to the star of the show.

His video reached a lot more people than the 200 followers on the Facebook page.

It was picked up by multiple media outlets and Mr Coombs was even interviewed on Sunrise, with that interview also going viral.

"It went ballistic," he said.

"I kept seeing myself at the top of my own newsfeed when I went on social media.

"It was a lot of attention all of a sudden."

Having loved watching YouTube videos as a kid - always running up the data at home - being internet famous was something Mr Coombs always thought would be cool, but never actually intended on pursuing.

But after his Bogan Gate Tour got so much attention, he continued to make videos as a side hustle while studying and working.

He spent three years working with The Kyle & Jackie O Show, but when he began making enough money on his social media videos alone, Mr Coombs took a leap and the internet became his full-time job.

"I never actually thought I'd pursue making the internet my career, it was more, 'oh God that would be good wouldn't it, but as if that will ever happen'," he said.

"It's definitely a pinch-myself moment.

"For example, before this interview someone took a selfie with me when I was getting a coffee, and then someone shouted out to me out their car window, I never thought that sort of thing would happen.

"It's not confronting or weird, it's lovely and I quite like it."

While social media has been his full-time gig for a few years now, Mr Coombs said it's really taken off in the past 12 to 18 months.

And funnily enough, it's his videos back on the farm at Bogan Gate with his parents, the animals, and the family pet Brian, that are the most popular.

"In theory I never really needed to leave home," Mr Coombs said, laughing.

"I was like 'I have to make something of myself in the city', but all the viral videos have been from staying at home."

While putting yourself out on social media can have its downfalls, with negative comments quite a common thing, Mr Coombs said he has been very lucky in this respect.

"I've attracted quite a lovely and encouraging audience," he said.

"I'm still shy and awkward generally speaking, so it's just a different way to connect with people. It's nice.

"People share their stories with me as well, and I love being able to connect with people in that way."

In addition to being a social media personality, Mr Coombs is also a comedian and has performed right across the country.

He said while he has toured the capital cities, he would love to plan a comedy tour around the Central West at some point.

Being a shy kid who turned into a social media star, Mr Coombs has one piece of advice for people who are afraid to put themselves out there.

"Just post videos if that's what you want to do," he said.

"Don't let doubt hold you back, I easily could have and then I went rogue one day and posted a tour video on Facebook and here we are."