Gympie council backs split with historic Mary Valley Rattler train

The future of the historic Mary Valley Rattler is clearer after Gympie council making a final decision on what it wants to do with the heritage train.

Mayor Glen Hartwig says Gympie council’s decision to endorse a split with the Mary valley rattler, which it helped resurrect in 2018, will allow the heritage train to seek outside funding help.

Gympie Regional Council and the Mary Valley Rattler appear headed for an amicable divorce, with councillors voting to split with the heritage train it helped resurrect at a cost of more than $18.1m.

A media release from the council on Thursday confirmed the long-expected break-up, which was initially revealed to be in the works in October 2022.

The split is not yet complete, with the council now waiting on a final decision from the Rattler Railway Company board.

Not every councillor was on-board with the deal though.

It was passed by a 5-3 vote at Wednesday’s meeting; councillors Bob Fredman, Shane Waldock and deputy mayor Hilary Smerdon did not support the agreement.

Warren Polley had left the meeting at the time of the vote.

Gympie council is awaiting a final decision from the Rattler Railway Company chairman Ian McNicol and the board.

The release says once approved, the deal will “transfer the rail assets (excluding locomotive) to the Rattler”.

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“Council also agreed to provide the Mary Valley Rattler funding of $400,000 pa until June 2026, to enable the Mary Valley Rattler to continue to operate while looking for external funding,” the release says.

“This agreement is consistent with current funding arrangements.”

The release does not mention cancellation of the remainder of a $1.1m loan, which has been floated by the council and the RRC at separate times.

Mayor Glen Hartwig said in the release the deal would allow the heritage train “to source external funding without the perception of being a council organisation and allow for full control over the assets”.

Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig said in the media release he was looking forward to the Rattler “fulfilling its potential as a vital part of our tourism economy”. Picture: Patrick Woods.

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“This freedom will provide the Ratter the opportunity to continue to grow as a crucial tourism operator for this region; to operate more autonomously while also benefiting from council funding,” Mr Hartwig said.

“The agreement is the culmination of nearly 12 months of negotiations between council and the Rattler.”

“I truly am looking forward to the Rattler operation fulfilling its potential as a vital part of our tourism economy.”

The train’s resurrection as been a controversial sticking point with the council after several cost blow outs drove the original cost of $10.8m to more than $18m.

A subsequent investigation report into the cause of the blow outs commissioned in mid 2018 remained buried for more than three years, before finally being brought into the light of day in late 2021.

Originally published as Gympie council backs split with historic Mary Valley Rattler train