Top Hervey Bay Art & Culture

Celebrate the history of the Mary Valley Rattler and experience the magic of heritage rail travel. All aboard! @maryvalleyrattler  #maryvalleyrattler  
 Rediscover the magic of a bygone era aboard the historic Mary Valley Rattler. 
The Mary Valley Rattler fleet is made up of heritage steam & diesel locomotives, rail motors and carriages each with their own unique story. 
The historic Gympie Station on Tozer St, has been restored to its former glory. Make sure you arrive early enough to take time to wander through the station where you can learn the stories of the Mary Valley Rattler line, its people, and its history. The popular Rusty Rails Cafe offers a dine in experience before or after your rail journey, or you can buy take away treats to enjoy on board. You can even purchase a bottle of wine and a local cheese platter for the ride. The gift shop offers a selection of local goodies as well as speciality giftware and souvenirs.

Celebrate the history of the Mary Valley Rattler and experience the magic of heritage rail travel. All aboard! @maryvalleyrattler  #maryvalleyrattler  
 Hop on board the vintage railmotor RM76 which traditionally ran the Brooloo line to Gympie providing a daily link to the town for shopping, the transportation of goods and a means for children to get to school. Sit back and relax as you begin your nostalgic rail journey through one of the most beautiful parts of Queensland. Our region boasts great produce and producers. Enjoy a tasting plate on board featuring local fare and learn about the food bowl that is the Mary Valley on board as you cross the Mary River as you travel around an abundance of curves, over bridges and numerous gentle hills.

This premium experience includes a morning briefing with the train crew, morning tea, return steam train footplate cab ride, Mary Valley Rattler high vis vest, cap, pin, lunch with the crew, certificate and Go Pro footage of the journey. All guests will be included in the Footplate Friends Gallery on the organisation’s website.

Our Sandy Straits Scenic & Wildlife cruise is a unique, 5hr cruise into the heart of the internationally protected Great Sandy Marine Park - the only tour to explore the southern expanses of the park. We'll visit cultural and historic destinations such as; Woody Island, North White Cliffs, Ungowa and Garry's Anchorage (located approximately halfway to Tin Can Bay). All whilst keeping our eyes peeled for the abundance of wildlife that frequents the area and maybe the elusive Fraser Island Dingo or dugong! Experience the beauty of the area as we cruise past swathes of mangrove, sand cliffs and sand flats abound with sea and birdlife. Learn the history of early settlers and logging of the region and the Ramsar wetland of international importance under marine park protection. Seabirds and shorebirds are a vibrant feature of this World Heritage area. They occupy a range of habitats, including the mouths of creeks and estuaries, rocky ocean foreshores, sand spits, and sandy beaches.