Friends of Amamoor frustrated by lack of progress on cafe near Mary Valley Rattler

An Amamoor advocacy group says an ongoing stalemate in efforts to re-open a cafe near the town’s Mary Valley Rattler station means everyone is missing out. VIDEO.

A Mary Valley community group has been left frustrated by an ongoing stalemate in their efforts to open a community cafe next to the station used by the heritage Rattler steam train.

Friends of Amamoor president Graeme Staley said the group had been “vying” to re-establish a cafe at the building since the last one was forced shut about six months ago on December 15, 2021.

He told the Gympie Times the group was given a letter from the Rattler saying it was “not allowed to have a contractor back in there”.

The closure meant Amamoor no longer had a cafe; the Blue and White Teapot was now operating as a chemist.

While the Amamoor General Store was across the road from the train station, but Mr Staley said it could not handle the number of patrons when the train was in town.

“People are going over there because there’s nothing open; they can’t, with two or three people in the shop, handle 200 hundred people that walk in at once.” Mr Staley said.

Graeme Staley said the Friends of Amamoor group has been left frustrated by an ongoing stalemate in its fight to open a community cafe in a building opposite the town‘s Mary Valley Rattler station.

The land the FOA want to use is sublet to the Rattler by the state government and holds a 50 year lease.

The FOA have a three-year access agreement to the land which expires on November 1.

Mr Staley said efforts to work with the Rattler to re-open the cafe were being stonewalled by a lack of discussion, inclusion or feedback.

Without an extension to that agreement, the FOA’s plans were in turmoil.

“We might put a contractor in here but we don‘t get a renewal from the 1st of November … all of a sudden it would be handed straight over to them,” Mr Staley said, adding an extension would “give us longevity”.

“We‘ve got a five year plan, we’ve got plans to do extension here,” Mr Staley said.

“We‘ve been set back by six months now.”

Graeme Staley said the Friends of Amamoor’s access agreement to the land, which is sublet by the state government to the Rattler, expires on November 1 and they have so far been unable to secure an extension.

Rattler general manager Linda Barry said the train team and the Friends of Amamoor were “working closely together to enable the Amamoor community to benefit from sites like the Amamoor Village Green”.

She said she and deputy general manager Sherry Lowe met with the FOA at the start of June to discuss the idea and “we are fully supportive and excited about this venture”.

“We are keen to have a cafe open up on site to provide a lovely service to both train travellers and anyone else visiting Amamoor,” Ms Barry said

“We are keen to work through the details including the access licence renewal but have no doubt that this is just a formality.

“The licence is due to expire in November, and our plan is to ensure that this is renewed well in advance of any expiration date.”

Mr Staley said any reopening needed to be for a wider market than just the train.

“We’re all for the Rattler, we want to support the Rattler through their efforts, but the community needs a cafe to operate at hours far greater than the four hours a week the train is here,” she said.