Gympie Ultimate Steam Festival
Ultimate Steam Festival - Gympie’s iconic tourist attractions join forces
Queensland Events has granted funding to assist in the marketing and running costs of a four day Ultimate Steam Festival to be held in Gympie during April 2010. The festival promotes three of Gympie’s vital heritage tourist attractions – “The Valley Rattler” steam engine adventure trip, The Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum and the world class Woodworks Forestry and Timber Museum, with a “guest” appearance of the Mary Anne replica down from Maryborough, running on the Rattler tracks.
For the first time, all three Gympie heritage attractions will combine forces to present a unique experience, not just for steam buffs, but for all people, young and old, to experience the various uses of the power of steam.
For many years discussions have been held with regard to the three attractions collaborating as it is well recognised that the synergy of combining these unique complimentary assets has immense potential. It is envisaged that the Steam Weekend will be the first of what will become a strong united front for Gympie’s tourist attractions.
Visitors will experience a full range of heritage steam working across a range of industries with combined ticket prices giving entry to all venues for four days of exceptional value and entertainment.
The highlights of the festival will include rides on the unique ‘Mary Ann” full size replica of an 1873 timber line steam engine. Watch the huge 1899 working steam winding engine, combined with a steam powered compressor, used to power jackhammers and rock drill in the mine and steam powered electric generator. Woodworks Museum activities will include a mobile saw milling competition and traditional handtool demonstrations, while the Rattler will run two return trips each day to Amamoor, 23 km down the old Mary Valley branchline.
“We are confident that this event will attract people from all over South East Queensland and many from a lot further afield. Test marketing has shown that the event will also attract large numbers of ‘Grey Nomads’ touring the country. It is estimated that some 250,000 caravans and mobile homes will be touring around Australia in 2010 and this festival is a great opportunity for the Gympie region to capture some of this market as many of them head north for winter” states Amanda LePeilbet, Gympie Cooloola Tourism’s General Manager.
Jim Walker from the Rattler is looking forward to the event “We will have our 1920s steam engine and carriages taking 300 passengers at a time to Amamoor from the beautifully restored Old Gympie Station, while at the same time we will host Whistlestop’s Mary Ann replica taking 75 passengers on a (slow) jaunt north along the old Queensland Railway main line. Its great/we are lucky to get our neighbours down from Maryborough to blow the cobwebs out of our bridges. It’s a must for anyone interested in industrial steam, or just looking for a relaxed weekend with a difference.”
The Gold Mining Museum’s Ralph Richardson spoke from the controls of the massive steam winding engine located on original foundations “ as well as the chance to see this magnificent engine, believed to be the only example of a Walker engine built for the Gympie Goldfields, we plan to also assemble a variety of other steam powered equipment including a steam traction engine, steam roller and steam launch engine to supplement the range of heritage power spread among other exhibits in our museum precinct”.
“With the estimated patronage for the Steam Festival of up to 4000 people, we are excited by the opportunity to promote the region through the festival and we are looking at ways to gain national exposure for the event,” said Amanda LePeilbet.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS, DEMONSTRATORS, ENTERTAINERS, STAFF, MEDIA AND EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT, VALUABLE TIME, EFFORT AND CONTRIBUTION TO OUR
ULTIMATE STEAM FESTIVAL.
Heritage Steam Attractions
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The Mary AnnThe Mary Ann is a faithful replica of the first steam locomotive built in Queensland in 1873, serving on timber lines in Cooloola National Park. Based in Maryborough, and operated by Volunteers, the replica is on its second visit to Gympie and will be running tours from Old Gympie Station on Sunday and Monday during the festival. Click to read more...
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