By Erle Levey
The historic Gympie Railway Station was a real hub of activity on Saturday night, despite the cold weather of mid-winter.
The inaugural Saturday night Silver Bullet train rides and eat-street Grazing Lane in the railway car park proved highly popular.
About 300 people took advantage of the rail car journey to Monkland station and return with the train departing Gympie every 30 minutes from 5.30pm.
“People were queued out into the carpark to get tickets,’’ Mary Valley Rattler general manager Sherry Lowe said.
“They started rolling up at 4.30 wanting to experience the train ride.
“From a community perspective, it was a wonderful opportunity for Gympie families to enjoy the excitement of a train ride.
“It gave the chance where we could all come together and be amongst friends.
“There were people from Hervey Bay and from Sunshine Coast.
“What an absolute success – music, wine and people.
“It was pure joy. Especially to see the faces of children as they got off the train.’’
There was a real sense of occasion, watching the passengers line up and being waved off.
It was something special … an example of the Gympie community coming out of a Saturday night, and the Rattler having the opportunity as an organisation to share the magic of a rail journey.
The next Silver Bullet night journeys and Grazing Lane eat street will be held on the third Friday of July, due to the Rattler’s Murder Mystery train ride already planned for the Saturday.
