Maryborough’s Cistern Chapel attracts 20,000 visitors

One of Queensland’s newest - and most unlikely - tourist attractions has had 20,000 visitors since it opened its doors just weeks ago, and might just be the most luxurious experience of its kind in Australia.

An unlikely tourist attraction is bringing in visitors by the thousands to Maryborough, with a team of volunteers nicknamed the “flusher ushers” not only keeping amenities clean, but taking the chance to promote the best parts of the Fraser Coast’s Heritage City.

Drab old public toilets at the Maryborough City Hall were transformed into the Cistern Chapel n May, lavish loos that might just be the most luxurious in Australia.

The brains behind the endeavour, local woman Nancy Bates, said the toilets had attracted more than 20,000 visitors since they opened to the public.

Victoriana-themed murals, Mary Poppins artwork, music, chandeliers and fresh flowers in the women’s precinct are only some of the new toilets’ features.

The main artwork was completed by Akos Juhasz and Gary Madden.

Ms Bates said the public was getting used to sharing the toilets with thousands of guests, saying they were adjusting to the idea it was not only for practical use, but a must on many visitor’s destination lists.

With 8000 people visiting the toilets in July along, it didn’t show any signs of slowing down, she said.

While many local people had dropped by, Ms Bates estimated about 10,000 visitors from outside the region, and many from all parts of the globe, had deliberately stopped in the city to visit the toilet block.

The brains behind the endeavour, Maryborough legend Nancy Bates, said the toilets had attracted more than 20,000 visitors since they opened to the public in May.

“We have a lot of people coming in now because of word of mouth, they’ve heard about it in caravan parks and when they’ve been travelling people have said ‘you have to go to Maryborough and see the toilets’.”

Ms Bates said she got a big kick out of seeing people’s reaction to the toilets for the first time.

“The looks on their faces is just magical,” she said.

“We have a fantastic team of volunteers who are making sure there is someone here all the time to keep an eye on it and make sure it’s pristine.”

Nancy Bates is the president of the committee transforming the 'Cistern Chapel' precinct.

One man who visited the loos even did his part to keep it neat, Ms Bates said, taking off his work boots before entering.

She said the group was still looking for volunteers.

A guest book outside the toilets showed the spellbound reactions of the visitors – and showed how far some travelled to pay Maryborough a visit.

It was paying off for local businesses, with volunteers pointing guests to places to have a coffee and to other tourist attractions, Ms Bates said.