Mary Valley Rattler General Manager Mike Green announced that the heritage railway will resume services from Saturday 13 June, following temporary suspension of services as a result of COVID-19.
Mr Green said they are delighted to announce the recommencing of rail operations while respecting the Queensland Government’s recovery roadmap.
“Our first train out will be the popular Rattler Tasting Train this Saturday, 13 June. We have social distancing plans in place and our team are fully versed on managing our guests experience in line with our COVID-19 safety plan.
“As a heritage rail operation, the safety of our guests and team is our number one priority. We will be running very limited numbers on our trains. In fact, it will almost feel like a private tour,” Mr Green said.
Mr Green said the first steam train service will recommence on July 11 with a superhero theme to introduce their very own ‘Steam Man’.
“Our volunteers can’t wait to get back to doing what they love- welcoming guests to the Rattler- this will be a great day out for the whole family to reconnect,” Mr Green said.
The Mary Valley Rattler saw over 46,000 passengers on board since commencement of operations in October 2018.
At the time of shutdown, Rattler services had increased from three days a week to six days a week, and the historic Gympie Station – which houses a café, retail space and historic display – was open seven days a week.
“We were definitely on an upward trajectory with the number of guests we were welcoming and the number of services we were operating.
“We will work to get back to that schedule over time but in these early days and with government restrictions in place, we need to manage our delivery around those restrictions,” said Mr Green.
“For all those who have been restricted to their homes, a journey through the stunning Mary Valley, with its open spaces and natural beauty, is a really great opportunity to enjoy a relaxing, unhurried family outing on the Mary Valley Rattler.”
Bookings are essential and can be made on the Mary Valley Rattler website.
