Sunday, May 11, 2025

🚗Gympie – Upper Lockyer

📝 Day's Highlights

• The Mary Valley Rattler
• Being with Lane and David

Today was the last of my planned Australian experiences. This was my cab-ride on the Mary Valley Rattler. This is a preserved steam railway from Gympie. The gauge is only six inches wider than the IoM steam railway, but the loco is much bigger! Riding in the cab, you get an idea of how much bigger when you look out of the side window and can look straight down into the river.

“Cabbing” no 967

The trip was enjoyable. The cab of a steam loco is noisy and rough, but the driver and fireman were very welcoming and informative. I found out about the loco and a bit about the railways in Queensland as well. Though I enjoyed the trip, I was glad to get to the end, as it was beginning to overwhelm me.

C17 4-8-0 no 967 on the Rattler

Back in Gympie and onto the road. I had a fair way to go, and unlike most days, I had to be there by a certain time. So, I probably took fewer breaks than I should, but I found Lane and David’s house without too many problems. After a shower, we went to a local (20 minutes’ drive) brewery for dinner, which was not great. Then back to their home and off to bed – I am shattered!

🚗 Distance driven : 299km.