100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

'Special experiences': awards prove two regional tourism attractions are oldies but goodies

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Mexico trip on the line as experienced chef opens eatery

A chef with more than a decade in the industry is aiming to shake up the local dining scene with the opening of a More

Photo of the day: rain rolls in

A rain cloud hovers over the ocean off Kings Beach. This photo was captured by Lesley Evans. If you have a photo of the day More

Candidates outline why they should get your vote

Pre-polling for the May 3 federal election has opened, with candidates continuing to make their pitch for votes. To help voters decide, Sunshine Coast News has More

Ex-Test star’s domestic violence jail term suspended

Former Australian Test cricketer Michael Slater has been handed a prison term for domestic violence offences but will immediately be released from custody on More

Man charged after multi-car crash and alleged shooting

A man is under police guard in a hospital after being accused of a shooting and a number of carjackings following a fatal crash. The More

‘So fast I was shocked’: meteor lights up night sky

Sunshine Coast residents have taken to social media to share their sightings of a meteor last night. The phenomenon, which was visible about 7.30pm, was More

Two regional tourism drawcards have made their mark on baby boomers and mature-age travellers, scoring accolades in the prestigious national Grey Nomad Awards.

The Mary Valley Rattler struck gold in 2021, being voted Australia’s premier Historic Attraction, while the Original Eumundi Markets took out silver in the Attractions category of the awards, which were announced on the Sunshine Coast.

Mary Valley Rattler general manager Micheal Green said the awards highlighted the  commitment to excellence and the empathy with which the team and volunteers dealt with their guests.

The Mary Valley Rattler is the No.1 Historic Attraction in the 2022 Grey Nomad Awards.

Love nostalgia? So do we. Help keep more great Coast memories alive by subscribing to our free daily news feed. Go to Subscribe at the top of this story and add your name and email. It’s that simple.

“The contribution and passion of our volunteers really makes the Rattler experience special, and this latest award is incredibly well deserved,” he said.

The Mary Valley Rattler’s base at Gympie Station, as it looked circa 1930.

“The history of the Rattler and the opportunity to view the beautiful Mary Valley landscape from a heritage rail carriage makes us particularly popular with mature travellers.

“We recognised their importance last year by adding special wheelchair accessibility to cater for the many senior travellers who needed additional facilities to ride the railway in comfort and safety.”

Original Eumundi Markets manager Karen Davis is chuffed but not at all surprised about this latest award for her team and stallholders.

“It’d not just a market, it’s an experience,” she says of the Wednesday and Saturday events that operate all-year round, “rain, hail or shine”.

The family and pet-friendly Original Eumundi Markets boasts more than 300 stallholders on a Saturday, and all of these small businesspeople must “make it, bake it, sew it or grow it” to qualify for space.

One of the entrances to the Original Eumundi Markets, which took silver in the Attractions category of the Grey Nomad Awards. Picture: Shirley Sinclair

Other market precincts have sprouted around the Memorial Drive purpose-built site that grew from the blue Country Women’s Hall in 1979 and now calls the neighbouring pink former canecutter’s cottage its headquarters.

The Grey Nomad Awards is a niche annual tourism program that shines a light on the best places for mature travellers to stay and play around Australia.

Like stories about Sunshine Coast people doing great things? Help us deliver more by registering for our free daily news feed. All it requires is your name and email. See SUBSCRIBE at the top of this article. 

The awards are judged by tourism leaders from across the country who offer valuable insights and detailed feedback to each entrant, ensuring nominees have practical tips to improve their tourism offering for the future benefit of their business, their community and visitors.

Commenting on the awards, the judges said, “This year’s winners reflect the exceptional experiences on offer to senior travellers. Each winner is playing a small yet critical role in assisting the Australian tourism sector recovery.”

For more details about the awards, go to the website.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share