A special Australia Day service on the Mary Valley Rattler will allow passengers to take their own trip back into Australia’s heritage past.
The 26 January service will depart Gympie Station at 9am for its scenic journey through the Mary Valley to Amamoor. It will return to Gympie Station by midday.
To celebrate the day, the team at the Rattler will provide entertainment on the platform before and after the train journey, while a true-blue Aussie barbecue will be available for purchase at Gympie Station once the heritage steam train arrives back.
Travelling on board the heritage steam train is like riding back in time to an era when everything was slower, a time when the Mary Valley railway line was the driving force of the community and local economy.
The Rattler’s 46-kilometre round trip starts at Gympie and, after crossing over the Mary River, chugs its way rhythmically around an abundance of curves, across bridges and numerous gentle hills.
The journey passes through Dagun, home to a beautiful heritage station before continuing to the quaint community of Amamoor, where there will be market stalls and a café for shopping, before the train is turned on the restored turntable for the return journey to Gympie.
Passengers on board the Australia Day service have the opportunity of meeting the drivers before departure, and taking in the history of Gympie Station, one of the largest and most stylish examples of timber railway architecture.
There’s a gift shop too, along with Rusty Rails Café offering dine in or takeaway options that can be consumed aboard the Rattler.
Perfect for the whole family, ticket prices for the Australia Day service are $69 for an adult, $37 for a child, with a special family ticket covering two adults and two children available for $180.
A VIP carriage is also available with premium inclusions such as a local tasting plate to enjoy on the journey, paid bar service, and lunch with a drink on return to Gympie Station.
The Rattler is wheelchair accessible.
