Mary Valley Tour with Mary Valley Rattler, Lunch and Kenilworth
Description
This is an all-inclusive tour of the Mary Valley with award winning Joel's Journeys Noosa, Queensland and Australia Top Tour Guide winner. This shared tour will operate with a minimum of 4 adults. Our all-inclusive Mary Valley Tour is a great change of scenery from the beautiful beaches to the nearby country, which is equally as stunning and picturesque. This tour has it all, from sightseeing and a scenic country train ride to the indulgence of the local produce, and an energising guided nature walk through giant fig trees to finish the day. This tour includes a one-way train ride on the Mary Valley Rattler classic steam locomotive between historical Gympie and Amamoor stations. To further compliment this tour, we provide you with an experienced local guide and door to door pick-ups in a luxury vehicle with reclining seats and a USB port for each seat to charge your phones and cameras along the way.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You’ll be picked up to start the day with a beautiful scenic drive to the historical Gympie Station for your one-way journey on the Mary Valley Rattler classic steam locomotive. You will have time to explore the historical station and its museum, get a close look at the classic steam engine, buy a souvenir, and grab a drink from the station cafe if you wish. You will then depart on your train for a one-way, one-hour experience on the Mary Valley Rattler classic steam locomotive to the historical Amamoor station.
Once you have arrived at Amamoor station, you will have time to appreciate this small country town and watch the steam engine get turned around on a historical turntable.
Next we take a nice country drive to a picturesque little town called Imbil, previously nominated as one of Queensland’s top tiny tourist towns. Here we’ll explore the corners of this pretty little town, including the town lookout with a panoramic views of the Mary Valley.
We then continue our scenic country drive to the heart of the Mary Valley, Kenilworth, where you will be treated to a delicious lunch and drink of your choosing. Don’t eat too much for lunch, because you will want to save room for the delicious donuts, chocolates and cheeses on offer in the main street of Kenilworth, that you will have free time to explore after lunch.
Your final experience on this tour will be a 1.2km guided fig tree walk through giant figs and a forest alive with birdsongs. This walk is paved and flat and optional. Alternatively, guest who don't feel comfortable doing this walk can enjoy the creekside park nearby the conjunction of the creek and the Mary River. We will then complete our journey with another country drive towards the coast to drop you at your accommodation by no later than 4:30pm, in time for sunset and dinner.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up Details Private Tour - Joel's Journeys will pick-up from anywhere in the Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Hinterland regions when this tour is booked as private tour. Shared Tour - Joel’s Journeys will pick-up and drop-off customers from their home or accommodation in Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Twin Waters, Marcoola, Coolum Beach, Peregian Beach, Sunshine Beach, Noosa Junction, Noosa Heads, Noosaville, Tewantin and anywhere in between these hubs, when this tour is booked as a shared tour. Please ensure you provide your pick-up address when you make the booking. Shared Tour pick up times: 6:10am - Mooloolaba & Alexandra Headland 6:20am - Maroochydore & Cotton Tree 6:25am - Twin Waters & Mudjimba 6:30am - Marcoola 6:40am - Coolum Beach 6:45am - Peregian Beach 6:50am - Marcus Beach & Castaways Beach 6:55am - Sunrise Beach & Sunshine Beach 7:00am - Noosa Junction & Noosa Hill 7:10am - Noosa Heads 7:20am - Noosaville & Noosa Waters 7:30am - Tewantin
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Guest must be 18 years or older to drink alcoholic beverages. Non-alcoholic drinks will be offered to those younger than 18 years old.
Reviews(23)
My husband and I recently did the Mary Valley Rattler, lunch and Kenilworth with Joel’s Journeys. We had a fun and wonderful day. Joel was attentive to all our needs from start to finish. He was very knowledgeable and provided interesting commentary along the way, while also making sure everyone was having fun throughout the tour. The one-way journey on the Mary Valley Rattler was fantastic, and watching the train turntable operation when we arrived at Amamoor was especially interesting. We did a walk along the Mary River and were very lucky to spot a Mary River turtle as this is an endangered species. Lunch was delicious, and we also really enjoyed the guided walk among the giant fig trees on the return journey. We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to ride on a special train and learning about the Mary Valley.
Really enjoyed the historic stream train trip, great scenery and Joel was very knowledgeable. The walk to the giant figs was amazing. Highly recommend
It’s a worthwhile experience and step back in time. Great staff around and during the trip. Nice scenery and we had even small markets at the destination with a little local band playing. We had the return trip too. Highly recommend this when you’re here.
Excellent trip with Joel today. Just 3 of us on board but it made extra special. Joel is very knowledgeable about the area and took us to places we would not have known about. Being British it was interesting to hear some of the Australian history. We had a great lunch at a little village called Kenilworth and then a doughnut which was huge! We had a thoroughly enjoyable day with a few laughs as well. Would definitely recommend
We had a fantastic day with Joel’s Journeys. The train trip was memorable travelling in an historic steam train while travelling through beautiful countryside in the Mary Valley reaching our destination of Amamoor. We jumped into the van which is very comfortable and air conditioned ready for the next stop - the Imbil Lookout and then a delicious lunch at Kenilworth. You might like to try one of the donut shop’s donuts while there. They are yummy! Our final stop was the Fig Tree walk which is an easy stroll through the rainforest which was breathtaking. The Moreton Bay Figs are majestic as their branches stretch above the tree canopy. We were lucky enough to see three Mary River cod and a Mary River turtle. Joel is a great tour guide who is passionate about nature providing tour goers with a knowledgeable yet entertaining experience. You’ll have to ask him what bird or birds you are hearing as you walk through the bush. You travel through beautiful countryside, historic Australian towns topped off with a delicious lunch before experiencing the beautiful bush Queensland has to offer which you may not otherwise experience.
Joel, he himself, guided our Mary Valley Tour today and provided an entertaining, informative & interesting experience. A most relaxing & wonderful way to enjoy part of the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. Extremely highly recommended, first class. Thank You
We had such an amazing day. Joel was so attentive and so knowledgeable about the county side. We would highly recommend Joel's Journey for an amazing day.
Joel is a very passionate tour guide who brought us to the rattler followed by touring around the small towns. It was an eye opening experience to sit in the rattler and understanding some of the history about it. Later on, we went through some scenic views with drive by in his bus. I was touring generally with elderly group, this tour surely is suitable for them without much effort required.
Beautiful scenery, charming towns, the glories of nature plus a nostalgic trip on a steam train - we would certainly recommend Joel’s Journeys.
Recommended by our accommodation, Noosa Shores Resort, a morning call from Joel from Joel’s Journeys confirming our imminent pick up set the tone from this friendly tour guide. Settled into his super comfy van with great viewing windows and we set off for Old Gympie Station for our start with the Mary Valley Rattler. Atmosphere galore with character volunteers at the station and on the train and beautiful scenery in abundance. History check. Atmosphere check. Good vibes check. Met by Joel at Amamoor and we were off again for a day of touring the beautiful townships and surrounds of the Mary Valley. Lots of interesting and passionate commentary, short nature walks suited to young and old, incredible lookouts and wrapped up with a delicious lunch at Kenilworth with time to sample treats (artisan cheeses, bakeries, chocolatier). A cracker of a day out with a friendly and passionate local, highly recommend the Mary Valley Rattler tour and we will definitely do further tours with Joel.
