Gympie

Gympie is a regional town in south eastern Queensland, Australia,  about 160 km north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River. Gympie is the administrative centre for the Gympie Region area. At the 2006 census, Gympie had a population of 10,933.

History
Originally settled for grazing purposes, the area became prominent when James Nash reported the discovery of 'payable' alluvial gold on 16 October 1867. At the time Queensland was suffering from a severe economic depression and the discovery probably saved the colony from bankruptcy. This event is still celebrated today during the Gympie Gold Rush Festival, with 10 days of cultural events held in October. Gold mining still plays a role in the area's fortunes, along with agriculture (dairy predominantly), timber and tourism.

Etymology
Gympie's name derives from the Kabi (the language of a tribe of Indigenous Australians that historically lived South East Queensland) word "gimpi-gimpi" (which means "stinging tree), which referred to Dendrocnide moroides. The tree has large, round leaves that have similar properties to stinging nettles. The town was previously named "Nashville", after James Nash, who discovered gold in the area in 1867. The name was later changed to Gympie in 1868.

Attractions




There are many attractions in and around Gympie. The Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum houses memorabilia from the early gold mining era, as well as displays showcasing military, rural, transport, communications and steam development in Australia. The WoodWorks Museum provides an insight into the timber industry & social history of yesteryear through displays and demonstrations. Features include a large selection of pioneering handtools, 1925 Republic truck, bullock wagons and blacksmith shop.

The Valley Rattler steam train winds its way through the backyards of the southern side of Gympie and then continues its way into the scenic Mary Valley where it crosses and then follows the Mary River to negotiate the valley and the Mary's main tributaries. This provides a spectacular journey through the valley beginning at the Old Gympie Railway Station in Tozer Street. This station is the original railway station for the track that passed through Gympie in the 1900s gold rush.

The Mary Valley has a stunning landscape of rolling green pastures and many beautiful forests. The countryside is spectacular with an abundance of curves, gradients and bridges. Steep slopes portray a patchwork of pineapples, macadamia nuts and other crops. The towns of the Valley include Dagun, a pretty little ten house town and Amamoor which hosts the National Country Music Muster, held annually in August. The Muster is held over six days and nights in the Amamoor Forest Reserve. Featuring 13 venues full of diverse music The Muster is the largest outdoor country music festival in Australia. The Mary Valley Scenic Drive also travels through Kandanga and Imbil.

Gympie's Mary St offers a wide array of bars, cafes, banks and stores with stunning 19th Century Victorian architecture. Gympie also hosts the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival in March. The festival is five days of fun, inspiration and stimulation. Highlights include short films from all corners of the planet, special features and documentaries, parties, seminars, intimate Q & A sessions with filmmakers and an award Ceremony.

15 mins south-east of Gympie subtropical rainforest & spectacular rocky creeks make the Mothar Mountain rock pools a popular retreat for locals and visitors. Crystal clear water gently cascades over ancient granite outcrops at Woondum State Forest. Facilities include picnic tables, barbecues, firewood, fresh water, amenities and bush walking tracks.

30 minutes drive east of Gympie is Tin Can Bay where you can hand feed rare Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphins in their natural environment. The feeding is regulated for the protection of the dolphins. Tin Can Bay is the Southern access point to the Great Sandy Strait, a stunning aquatic playground protected by World Heritage listed Fraser Island. The Strait is an important ecological area with marine turtles, dolphin pods, dugongs also known as mermaids, migrating Humpback whales and valuable roosting area for migratory birds.

Gympie, Mary Valley, Tin Can Bay, Rainbow Beach and Cooloola are part of the Great Sandy Biosphere which gives world wide recognition of the outstanding natural beauty and high levels of biodiversity in this region.

The alleged Gympie Pyramid is also a minor attraction.

Education
Gympie has many schools, reflecting its importance as a regional service centre. State primary schools include Gympie West, Chatsworth, Monkland, Jones Hill, Gympie Central, Two Mile, One Mile, Gympie East, Gympie South. State secondary schools include James Nash and Gympie State High, which is well known for its music department and sporting facilities. Private schools offer both primary and secondary education. They include Victory College, Cooloola Christian College and St Patrick's.

Transport
Road connection to Gympie is via the Bruce Highway. Rail connects via QR's North Coast railway line, which is served by daily Citytrain services to Brisbane and Traveltrain services for long distances. There are few public buses in Gympie and automobiles are the main mode of transportation.

Traveston Crossing Dam
The Queensland Government had plans to build a dam on the Mary River at Traveston Crossing, about 16 km south of Gympie, arguing that there is sound geology and that the South East Queensland region needed greater water security due to the threat of climate change and population growth. The project was scrapped in 2010.

The proposed dam would have flooded about 900 properties, many of them income-producing farms, including the largest dairy farm in Queensland. The affected land owners and other shire residents staged rallies protesting against the proposed dam. Strong opposition to the dam from the wider and international community based on environmental concerns related to the endangered Mary River cod, Mary River Turtle, Giant Barred Frog, Cascade Tree Frog and Coxen's Fig Parrot and the vulnerable Queensland lungfish, Tusked Frog, Honey Blue-eyed Fish, the Richmond Birdwin Butterfly and the Illidge's Ant-blue Butterfly finally shut down the project.

Notable people from Gympie

 * Glen Boss
 * Tyrone Graham
 * Darren Hanlon
 * Thelma Keane
 * Sarah Kirby
 * James Nash
 * Christopher Scott
 * Rhys Taylor
 * The Amity Affliction