Mary Valley Railway Cream Sheds

Take a drive through the picturesque Mary Valley, visiting the old railway stations, and transport yourself back in time. The railway cream sheds are reminders of the importance of the dairying industry here, particularly in the early 20th century. Initiated in the late 1880s, dairy farms were small family affairs, producing milk for sale to the Gympie town-folk. After the introduction of cream separators, small scale butter production began in the 1890s; consolidated in 1906, when the Wide Bay Co-operative Dairy commenced operations from its factory opposite the Gympie railway station. The construction of the Mary Valley rail line, between 1911 and 1915, provided direct cream transport to the butter factory. The cream sheds at Amamoor, Kandanga and Melawondi were built between the 1920s and 1940s, providing ventilated storage and ensuring good quality cream reached the factory. Farmers were paid according to quality of cream on arrival. The Gympie Butter Factory achieved an Australian record in February 1939 by producing more than 109 tonnes of butter in a week. Dairying for milk production continues in the Mary Valley, along with small-crop farming and tourism. From time to time the Mary Valley train stations are used to sell the local produce.