Full steam ahead for Queensland Rail lease

Published on 23 September 2026

Gympie Regional Council has agreed to enter a freehold lease with Queensland Rail for a parcel of land that will help secure the future of the community groups that currently call the Tozer Street property home.

The decision comes after Queensland Rail were this week able to formally confirm that the property, which includes the Old Gympie Freight Depot, was not part of a licence agreement between QR and the Mary Valley Rattler. The clarification has removed a stumbling block in progressing the invitation to Council by QR to take on the lease for community use.

Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig said the confusion over the arrangements between the landowner QR, and the Mary Valley Rattler, who hold the licence agreement for only a portion of the property in question, was clarified this week.

“This is a great outcome for our community and specifically the Men’s and Women’s shed who have historically called these buildings home,” Mayor Hartwig said.

“While Council still needs to undertake a proper process to negotiate the freehold lease and then confirm the shared community use, today’s Council decision on the back of Queensland Rail’s letter of confirmation about the tenure of the property puts to bed the public debate. It also eases the concerns of volunteer community groups like the Men’s Shed who currently call the property home.”

In a letter to Gympie Council Mayor Glen Hartwig, Queensland Rail said the MVR has never had any tenure over the Old Gympie Freight Depot.

The letter stated that: The Old Gympie Freight Depot has been separately licensed, occupied and used by the Gympie Men’s Shed for more than 12 years. During this period, the MVR has not sought to occupy or use the building.

Similarly, the shed to the south has been continuously occupied and used exclusively by Queensland Rail.

The previous licence agreement held by Gympie Regional Council, which was replaced by the Licence Agreement with the MVR, also excluded these areas.

Mayor Hartwig said that Council had written to Queensland Rail in August after concerns were raised about a proposal for Council and QR to form a partnership to enable Council to take on the freehold lease for the property at a peppercorn rent.

The concerns saw a resolution to enter an agreement with QR at the August Ordinary Meeting of Council, rescinded at Council’s September Ordinary Meeting.

“I am pleased we now have the clarity needed to move forward in the best interests of the community,” Cr Hartwig said.

“This outcome provides certainty for the groups that use the precinct and allows us to focus on what matters most - supporting volunteers and community organisations that contribute so much to the social fabric of our region.

“I thank Queensland Rail for its cooperation, and everyone involved for their patience as these matters were clarified. We now look forward to working collaboratively to finalise the details and reopen the doors to the community.”

ENDS