Mary Valley Rattler

Mary Valley Rattler Celebrate the history of the Mary Valley Rattler and experience the magic of heritage rail travel. All aboard! Experience the Magic of the Mary Valley Rattler!
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Step back in time and rediscover the charm of a bygone era aboard the award-winning Mary Valley Rattler. Our heritage fleet of steam and diesel locomotives, carriages, and vintage railmotors each carry a unique story, creating an unforgettable journey through the picturesque Mary Valley. The beautifully restored historic Gympie Station on Tozer Street is where your adventure begins. Dive into the

rich history of the Rattler line, its people, and the region through our Heritage Display and interactive exhibits. It’s a place where the past comes to life, and every visit offers a new discovery. Hop onboard our Classic Rattler Run and enhance your journey by upgrading to a VIP Booth or VIP Experience, or take the ultimate rail adventure by riding upfront with our Footplate Friends Experience. Indulge in elegance with our Silver Bullet High Tea or join one of our many themed and specialty rail journeys for a truly unique experience. Plus, Pets on Board means your furry friends can join in on the fun! With accessibility, safety, and enjoyment always top of mind, we welcome everyone to experience the magic of the Rattler. Fuel your journey with delicious fare from the Rusty Rails Café, offering a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a meal before or after your rail adventure. On Friday and Saturday nights, don’t miss Tapas on Tozer, where live music, tapas, and the station’s atmosphere combine for an unforgettable evening. We proudly welcome Probus, Lions, Rotary, and sporting groups, as well as clubs of all kinds to join us onboard or in the café, making your group outings truly special. Don’t forget to explore our gift shop, featuring local goodies, unique giftware, and memorable souvenirs—an excellent way to take a piece of the Rattler magic home with you. This incredible experience is made possible by our dedicated volunteers, whose passion and hard work ensure the Mary Valley Rattler remains a treasured icon for generations to come. Their commitment keeps the wheels turning and the stories alive. As a registered charity and Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) organisation, your support helps us preserve this cherished piece of railway history and share it with future generations. Award-winning, volunteer-powered, and filled with heart, the Mary Valley Rattler is more than just a train ride—it’s an extraordinary connection to history, community, and adventure.

06/09/2026

From one old favourite to another, today we’re celebrating all the dads and father figures - especially our rail-loving dads and the dads who are part of the Mary Valley Rattler team.

Whether Dad’s happiest aboard a steam train, tinkering in the shed or simply spending time with family, we hope he gets to do a little of what he loves today.

Happy Father’s Day from C17 967 and all of us at the Rattler!

04/09/2026

CALOUNDRA & SUNSHINE COAST FRIENDS… come and find us today!

We’ve popped up at the Sunshine Coast Model Train and Hobby Expo at Caloundra Church of Christ, 30 Beerburrum Street, Dicky Beach, Caloundra until 4.00pm and there are some seriously impressive model railway displays to explore.

Make sure you stop by the Mary Valley Rattler stall and say g’day because we’ve got a couple of extras waiting for you…

🎟️ Pick up a special discount code for our Classic Rattler Run
🎉 Enter for your chance to WIN a family ticket

Love trains? This is definitely one to add to today’s plans!

Sunshine Coast Model Boat Club Caloundra Church of Christ Visit Sunshine Coast

03/09/2026

🚂 WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP THE RATTLER ON TRACK.

For generations, the railway through Gympie and the Mary Valley has been part of our region’s story.

Today, the Mary Valley Rattler keeps that history alive. Not behind glass in a museum, but as a living, working heritage railway experienced by thousands of visitors every year.

And right now, we need your help to protect its future.

In 2023, Queensland Government regional planning documents identified the Mary Valley Rattler as a key tourism attraction and showed the railway network through Gympie and the Mary Valley.

But in the Draft 2026 Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan, the Mary Valley Rattler is missing from key regional mapping, while the proposed Mary Valley Rail Trail is identified as future tourism infrastructure, with mapping extending towards Gympie.

We have sought clarification and raised questions about this change.

At this stage, despite our attempts to communicate and seek answers, we have been given no reason to believe the omission is simply a mapping error.

That is why we are asking our community to stand with us.

The Mary Valley Rattler is more than a train.

🚂 It generates an estimated $9.4 million in economic impact each year.

🚂 It supports local jobs, businesses and tourism throughout our region.

🚂 More than 100 volunteers give their time to help preserve and operate this incredible piece of Queensland railway heritage.

🚂 It keeps the history of our railway alive, moving and accessible for future generations.

We support the Mary Valley Rail Trail between Imbil and Amamoor and believe heritage rail and recreational trails can complement each other and create even greater opportunities for the Mary Valley.

Our concern is protecting the operational railway between Amamoor and Gympie and ensuring the Mary Valley Rattler remains part of our region’s future.

This railway has survived because generations of people believed it was worth saving.

Now we need your help to make sure it stays that way. ❤️

Please take just two minutes to complete the Queensland Government's official survey and tell them that you want to see the Mary Valley Rattler and its operational railway corridor recognised, protected and supported in our region's future planning.

👉 Complete the official survey:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/62782a78aca94475a8909998037ff317

📧 You can also make a submission:
[email protected]

⏰ Submissions close 11:59pm Monday, 14 September 2026.

Please have your say. Please share this post. Help us keep our railway history alive.

🚂 OUR RATTLER. OUR HERITAGE. OUR FUTURE.



Visit Gympie Region Visit Sunshine Coast Visit Fraser Coast Visit Noosa Visit Queensland, Australia Queensland Tourism Industry Council - QTIC Drive Queensland

Some journeys deserve a little VIP treatment!Birthday? Anniversary? Long-overdue catch-up? Or maybe you just feel like m...
02/09/2026

Some journeys deserve a little VIP treatment!

Birthday? Anniversary? Long-overdue catch-up? Or maybe you just feel like making your day aboard the Rattler extra special.

Upgrade to our VIP Lounge and settle into your own comfortable lounge chair as the beautiful Mary Valley rolls by. Your experience includes an onboard tasting plate, plus lunch at Rusty Rails Café when you return to historic Gympie Station.

With only a handful of VIP Lounge seats on each departure, this is one upgrade you’ll want to book early.

🚂 Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday
✨ Come for the journey. Make it an occasion.

Thank you and family for enjoying your celebrations with us.

We’d love to be part of your special memories but please ask us first.With graduation celebrations approaching, we know ...
01/09/2026

We’d love to be part of your special memories but please ask us first.

With graduation celebrations approaching, we know our historic railway makes a pretty special backdrop for photos and we love seeing local students mark such an exciting milestone.

But there’s one important thing to remember: the Mary Valley Rattler is a working railway environment, even when we’re closed.

Our tracks, rolling stock and stations including Gympie, Amamoor and Dagun are not open for public access without prior approval from our team.

If you’re planning graduation photos or another special shoot, please contact us in advance. We’ll help you capture those memories while keeping everyone safe and protecting our heritage railway.

Your memories matter to us. Your safety matters even more.

Thank you for helping us keep the Rattler safe for everyone.

Thank you to Tracey Devereaux Photography for these beautiful photos.

$108,910.20 raised and every dollar has helped make a difference in our regional community.For the past five years, the ...
31/08/2026

$108,910.20 raised and every dollar has helped make a difference in our regional community.

For the past five years, the Rotary Club of Gympie Inc has hopped aboard the Mary Valley Rattler with collection buckets in hand and the generosity of our passengers has been extraordinary.

Together, an incredible $108,910.20 has been raised for local community groups and organisations and that doesn’t even include the schools and other one-off collections we’ve supported along the way.

From Friends of Amamoor and the Dagun Community Group to Meals on Wheels, Men’s and Women’s Sheds, wildlife rescue, disability services, palliative care, homelessness support, community transport and so many more.

For us, preserving Gympie’s heritage railway is about much more than keeping the wheels turning. It’s about using that railway to support the regional communities we’re proud to be part of.

To Rotary, our passengers and everyone who has dropped something into those buckets over the years - thank you. Look what you’ve helped achieve.

Visit Gympie Region Gympie Regional Council Queensland Rail Brent Mickelberg MP Andrew Powell MP Tony Perrett MP Visit Sunshine Coast Visit Queensland, Australia Queensland Tourism Industry Council - QTIC Queensland Tourism Development

If you’re going to step back in time… you may as well dress the part!We love it when our visitors get into the spirit of...
30/08/2026

If you’re going to step back in time… you may as well dress the part!

We love it when our visitors get into the spirit of the Rattler and the 5th Light Horse Regiment Hervey Bay Troop Inc certainly did just that during their recent film shoot with us.

Thanks for choosing the Rattler to be part of your production - we loved having you!

Thanks Tony for the photos.

Whatever you do… don’t miss this train!The countdown is on with just TWO WEEKS until the Wizard Express arrives at the M...
29/08/2026

Whatever you do… don’t miss this train!

The countdown is on with just TWO WEEKS until the Wizard Express arrives at the Mary Valley Rattler on Saturday 12 September.

Grab your robes, dust off your wand and prepare for a magical journey filled with roaming wizards, curious characters and plenty of surprises along the way.

🧙 Witches, wizards & muggles welcome
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family tickets available
🍴 Ticket options with or without food
✨ VIP upgrades available

Your magical journey is calling… will you be onboard?

Thank you Photography by Bambi for this magical photo.

Apparently, the Mary Valley was THE place to be this week!We’ve loved welcoming guests aboard from near, far... and very...
28/08/2026

Apparently, the Mary Valley was THE place to be this week!

We’ve loved welcoming guests aboard from near, far... and very far!
🇳🇿 New Zealand
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇺🇸 USA
🇨🇦 Canada
🇵🇱 Poland
🇬🇧 UK
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇸🇬 Singapore

Plus travellers from WA, Victoria, NSW and plenty closer to home from Ipswich, Bribie Island, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Different places. Different journeys. One shared experience aboard the Mary Valley Rattler.

Wherever you’re visiting from, we’d love to welcome you onboard next!

Thanks Jarrod Mitton for the photo.

Address

1 Tozer Street
Gympie, QLD
4570

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 2pm
Wednesday 8am - 2pm
Thursday 8am - 2pm
Friday 8am - 2pm
Saturday 8am - 2pm
Sunday 8am - 2pm

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