What are the chances of a ratepayer's Rattler rebate?

Letter: If the Rattler is enjoying so many customers and making money, is there any chance of a donation to Little Haven Palliative Care?

The Mary Valley Rattler cuts a fine figure, and if it is making as much money as the RRC chairman has indicated it is, perhaps some of it could go back to the ratepayers, says this letter writer. Picture: CONTRIBUTED

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I READ with mixed feelings the article, "Dagun dropped from Rattler trip as timetable changes” (Gympie Times, January 9).

My initial reaction was profound disappointment for the people of Dagun who had, no doubt, looked forward to the revival of the train and rightly hoped to share in the benefits brought to the Valley by the tourist icon.

And I was puzzled, to say the least, by the claim by the Rattler Railway Company chairman, Ian McNicol, that the schedule changes were based on "mutual agreement”.

It implied that the Dagun community had agreed to a "Rattler bypass” - a form of "tourism voluntary euthanasia”.

In the remainder of the article Mr Mc Nicol "explained” the reasons for the decision to delete Dagun from the Rattler schedule, among them the attractions of Amamoor, including " watching the train turn”, and managing the rosters of volunteer drivers.

Then followed the story of the rattling success of the historic train since its re-launch, with "...the total number of passengers...more than 7000 since it fired up in October.”

My spirits lifted on that high. Perhaps a "Dagun Compensation Package” - even a "Ratepayers' Rattler Rebate” could be on the cards.

But, if the latter looked too obviously like electoral pork-barrelling, perhaps a "Rattler Bonus” of a suitably hefty lump-sum to Gympie's most valuable community resource - Little Haven Palliative Care?

When one door closes....

Merv Welch,

The Palms