Things to do in Gympie, Queensland

The best things to do in Gympie, Queensland, are the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum, plus the Mary River Rattler steam train.

Gympie, Queensland, is a town on the Bruce Highway in that strange nether region between the Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Coast. Most visitors to Australia will judiciously choose to pass on through while driving from Noosa to Hervey Bay.

Things to do in Gympie, QLD: Gympie Regional Gallery and Woodworks Museum

But if you’ve got plenty of time on your hands, then there are a few things to do in Gympie, QLD. The Gympie Regional Gallery and Woodworks Museum are very much for the easily pleased, although the latter is also home to the bizarre Gympie Bone Museum. This attraction is all about bones and skeletons. It’s an acquired taste.

This Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum tells the tale of gold mining in Queensland. It was the site of the first gold rush in Australia.

The Town That Saved Queensland

Gympie became known as the Town That Saved Queensland, with the discovery of gold in 1867 fending off the state’s impending bankruptcy. The Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum tells this story, but there’s more to it.

The museum is spread over five hectares, with several historic buildings brought together in the same place. These include Andrew Fisher’s House – home of Australia’s second Prime Minister.

Things to do in Gympie, QLD: Mary Valley Rattler

The other key Gympie attraction is the Mary Valley Rattler, the heritage railway that runs along the Mary Valley towards Dagun and Amamoor. Several tourist trains operate along the line, but the Classic Rattler Run is the one that uses a steam locomotive.

The Mary River Rattler is one of the best things to do in Gympie, Queensland.

If you want the steam train experience, make sure you book tickets for the right Mary River Rattler tour.

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