General News
9 September, 2025
Station set for a major makeover
THE wheels are turning for the beautification of the Mareeba Railway Station, as it becomes the new take-off point for the popular Savannahlander train journey.
Member for Cook, David Kempton, Mareeba Shire Council Mayor, Angela Toppin, and Savannahlander senior driver and rail trip “storyteller” Will Kemp were at the current site on Wednesday to announce the next step in returning the station to its former glory.
“In collaboration with the mayor and the community here, we’re going to beautify this old railway station,” Member for Cook David Kempton said.
“We’ll make this the starting point to the wonderful experience on the Savannahlander and bring another tourist opportunity to Mareeba.”
The town has been host to the Savannahlander since recent weather events impacted bridges and track along the historic rail line between Cairns and Forsayth.
“The line from here to Cairns is blocked at Koah indefinitely. There is no current plan or budget to fix those bridges,” Mr Kempton said.
“So today’s the day and it’s pretty exciting.”
Mr Kempton said a meeting would be held later in the day with Lions Club, Rotary, community and business representatives to review what had already begun and consolidate support.
Assessment was underway of the structure, and quotes were coming in on repainting, landscaping and providing amenities and shelter for passengers.
Both Mayor Toppin and Mr Kempton said the area around the station also lent itself to becoming a tourist hub. They were both also keen to find the original station building.
“It was a nice station, I’m a local and it was always well-kept, but once the building got removed… well,” Mayor Toppin said.
The building was taken away some years ago and is understood to be on a farm in the region.
“I’d love to find it and bring it back,” Mr Kempton said. “If anyone knows where that building is.”
Mayor Toppin said the station and surrounds were an important part of the Mareeba Shire Council’s Revitalisation Project, which, through community consultations, was targeting sections of the town that needed attention.
“We want a site here that will attract tourists, and for our railway passengers to feel very welcome,” she said.
“I can only thank the Queensland Government and Cairns Rail for this initiative, because we’re desperately looking at ways to reinvigorate this area as part of the project.”
The station beautification initiative has gained traction since the government announced last month that it would provide $500,000 for Queensland Rail to fix the Copperfield Bridge, near Forsayth.
The Tablelands region has suffered from weather and fire events over the past few years which had closed sections of the line between Cairns and Mareeba, and from Einasleigh to Forsayth.
This has meant hour-long coach rides for passengers at the beginning and end of the journey, which had affected tourist numbers, and threatened the Savannahlander’s viability.
Mr Kempton said the commitment to Copperfield Bridge provided leverage for future funding to fix the remaining High Bridge and Koah bridges along the line.
“We’re certainly not going to give that up without a fight,” he said. “This line underpins places like Mt Surprise and Dimbulah economically and as far as tourism goes.”
Train driver Mr Kemp said the bridge funding had been a game-changer, and now the Mareeba Station beautification project added more fuel to the fire.
“A month ago, I didn’t know whether I had a job after September,” he said, half joking. “So what’s happening now is very exciting,” he said.
“Listening to some of these ideas… I’d love to see Mareeba go a similar way to Dimbulah.
“It’s what our travelers want. They’ve come from big cities down south and they’re looking for that outback hospitality, and when all the ladies over there [Dimbulah] get together and they’ve got their cakes and slices, and fruit in season and what not, it’s one of the highlights as far as the passengers go.”
Other ideas being considered were coffee vendors, pop-up-styled stalls, lighting and landscaping.
Mr Kemp said ideally, the whole line should be reinstated. The Savannahlander was “massively popular” and internationally lauded.
“The story of Cairns to Forsayth is just beautiful. It’s in chronological order as well, it’s where the railway started, and we gradually moved up and made our way out there to the west. It all makes sense,” he said.
“And also after being on the savannah, all the yellows and the browns; to come back through Kuranda to Cairns, on a Saturday afternoon, and it just transitions into wet tropical rainforest, it’s the icing on top of the cake.”
“But if that section is a while away, then I am glad we are able to start [from Mareeba] for these communities west. Cairns will always get tourists, but out here, they need us.”
