10th Anniversary - Join in the Celebrations
Join in the Celebrations – 24th and 25th May 2008
Come and Celebrate with the Mary Valley Heritage Railway on reaching a milestone of 10 years. Click here for details on this history making event.
Sunshine Coast Tourism Awards for 2002
Winner of the Heritage & Cultural Tourism Award.
Winner of the Significant Tourist Attraction Award.
Ray White Gympie 2007 Business Awards
Tourism Award Winner
The Valley Rattler & Heritage Rail Tour Experiences
"The Valley Rattler” steam heritage tours are operated by The Mary Valley Heritage Railway (MVHR) every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesdays.
Tours depart from the historic Gympie Railway station and the destination varies according to the day of operation.
The "Red Rocket" Heritage Railmotor operates every Tuesday morning.
Heritage Steam Train Tours
The Rattler's spectacular journey begins at historic Gympie Railway Station. Built in 1913, the station building is a living tribute to Gympie and Cooloola's golden rail heritage which began in the 1870's and is a link to the region's "Golden" past.
Passing through Gympie City, its southern suburbs and the station at Monkland, The Rattler crosses the Mary River. The journey continues into the scenic Mary Valley where the railway line negotiates the steep slopes of the Mary River, offering spectacular views. Throughout the Rattler's journey, the traveller can experience rural life and view commercial dairies, livestock enterprises and the farms of the steep slopes of the Mary Valley which produce pineapples, macadamias and other crops.
The Mary Valley line has an abundance of curves, gradients and bridges. These are evidence of the hard work that was needed to build the railway line before and during the First World War. The Mary Valley line includes stations at the villages of Dagun, Amamoor, Kandanga and Imbil. The Rattler stops at these fully restored, landscaped and original stations where good, old fashioned country hospitality can be enjoyed.
Heritage Rail Motor Tours
Weekly Railmotor tours, in the newly restored RM 76, depart from Gympie Railway Station every Tuesday morning. This is a short tour through the Mary Valley to Amamoor Railway Station. The Railmotor departs Gympie Railway Station at 9.30 am and returns at 11.30 am.
Whilst the MVHR have called this heritage train, the "Red Rocket", it should be noted that this railmotor used to operate in the 1930's from Gympie to Brooloo and was the original "Valley Rattler". RM 76 was also called the "Tin Hare". This tour is a wonderful opportunity to view the rural life of the Mary Valley.
Theme Trains
All four of our heritage operations (Heritage Steam Train, Silver Bullet Railmotor, Red Rocket Railmotor and Heritage Diesel Train) may be utilised on our advertised Theme Trains. The type of heritage train which is operated on the Theme Trains is dependant on the scheduled time of the train, the number of passengers booked on the tour and the availability of the MVHR's Heritage Fleet.
The MVHR offers popular Theme Trains such as the Wizard's Express, Christmas in July, Wild Wild West tours and the Pirates of the Valley. Other options are private charters where a group or organisation can hire one of our Heritage Trains.
Please check under Theme Trains, on this website, for details of each tour prior to booking or contact the MVHR Office on 5482 2750 or email rattler@mvhr.org.au
Group Bookings
Whether you are a Social Group or Club, School, Family Group or a Coach Company, the MVHR can offer group discounts of ten (10) or more paying passengers.
To assist our booking staff, please book as a group, pay as a group and advise final numbers of your group 48 hours before your tour. Our Refreshment Room Cafe is available for morning or afternoon teas and our Fettler's lunches may be ordered on any day that our Heritage Train operates.
Please contact the MVHR Office for group rates on 5482 2750 or email rattler@mvhr.org.au
