Inside Debra, Dana Gilmore’s plans for Mary Valley Cattery

A mother and daughter dream team plans to launch their new business venture in early 2024, filling a niche in the Gympie region. See the full details:

Dana and Debra Gilmore heva unveiled plans to open the Mary Valley Cattery at the Dawn.

A family at The Dawn wants to make 2024 the year of the cat for Gympie with new plans to transform their rural property into a luxury cattery and boutique store.

Debra and Dana Gilmore need Gympie Regional Council permission to open the Mary Valley Cattery on their 1.5ha block on the outskirts of Gympie.

The cattery, if approved, will be newly built on the block.

The first stage would include nine full enclosures and four “cubbies” for old or infirm animals.

Stage two would add an extra seven enclosures, bringing the total to 16.

The Mary Valley Cattery, if approved by Gympie Regional Council, would be located about 10 minutes outside Gympie.

The Gilmores said Dana’s rescue xat Milo, who was adopted from the RSPCA at eight weeks old, was the inspiration for the cattery and the “guinea pig” for its boutique products.

Debra said all their offerings will need to pass the “Milo test”.

Both mother and daughter have lived in Gympie for about a decade and moved to The Dawn specifically to establish the cattery.

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Dana Gilmore’s own RSPCA rescue, Milo, was the inspiration for the cattery and boutique, she said.

They have tackled part-time businesses in the past but the cattery will be their first full-time venture.

It will be a new field for Debra, who works as a librarian with the USC Gympie campus, whereas Dana has been a registered veterinary nurse for three years.

They wanted the cattery to offer more than the “block and cage” services often available.

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Debra said the environment they wanted to offer would have a higher level of luxury.

Dana said “early 2024” was the ideal opening date if approval was granted, but they were already offering some products through their online boutique store.

Those products will eventually be offered at the cattery, she said.