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The town of Gympie is located in south eastern Queensland, Australia, and is approximately 160 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. It lies on the Mary River. Gympie is the administrative centre for the Cooloola Shire Council. Shire population was 33,000 at the 2001 Census.

Contents 1 History 2 Attractions 3 Transport 4 Traveston Dam 5 Famous Residents 6 See also

Originally settled for grazing purposes, the area became prominent when gold was discovered there in 1867 by James Nash. At the time Queensland was suffering from a severe economic depression and the discovery probably saved the colony from bankruptcy. Gold mining still plays a role in the area's fortunes, along with agriculture (dairy predominantly), timber and tourism.

Its name is derived from an Aboriginal name for a tree (The Gympie-gympie tree). The tree has large, round leaves that have similar properties to stinging nettles. The translation for Gympie is roughly "devil".

The Mary Valley is a scenic location with rolling green pastures and many beautiful forests.

These spectacular journeys begin at the Old Gympie Railway Station, which is the original railway station that passed through Gympie in the golden heyday times in the early 1900’s.

The Steam Train rattles its way through the backyards of the southern side of Gympie and then continues its way into the Scenic Mary Valley, crossing, and then wandering away from the Mary River to negotiate the valley of some of its main tributaries. The Mary Valley includes the villages and towns of Dagun, Amamoor, Kandanga and Imbil.

The countryside is spectacular with an abundance of curves, gradients and bridges. Steep slopes portray a patchwork of pineapples, macadamias and other crops.

In 2006 Gympie hosted the inaugural Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival. A festival committed to the screening and promotion of nourishing, well crafted films.Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival

Gympie is connected via the Bruce Highway, or QR's North Coast railway line which is served by daily CityTrain services to Brisbane and long distance services through TravelTrain.

The Queensland Government recently announced plans to build a dam on the Mary River at Traveston Crossing, approximately 16km south of Gympie. The proposed dam will flood approximately 900 properties, many of them income producing farms, including the largest dairy farm in Queensland. The affected land owners and Shire residents have staged rallies protesting against the proposed dam.

The Traveston dam is being protested for many reasons, including loss of 900 properties, endangering rare species: The Mary River Cod, Lungfish and Platypus. However, the Queensland Government recently revealed that, after several tests were coducted into the suitability of the bedrock, the area proposed is suitable for the dam.

While the Queensland Government claims the area to be suitable for the Traveston Dam, independant reports have arrived at less favourable conclusions. Cooloola Shire Council recently released its findings on a report it commissioned to this effect.

• Glen Boss
• Darren Hanlon
• Michael Caton
• Judy Cornwell
• Andrew Fisher

• Gympie North railway station

Coordinates: 26°11′S 152°40′E