Village People attend Rail Opening

Rail line Opens – after over 100 years of begging/negotiating with various governments, the rail line between Petrie and Kippa-Ring was opened today, on October 3rd.  The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Mayor Allan Sutherland and other dignitaries attended the opening ceremony, and representatives from the Caboolture Historical Village.  Many photos were taken of our costumed folk!  Did you see them on Channel 2, 7, 9, 10???

Anne Relph at the watering hole.

The Mayor Allan Sutherland wore top hat and tails.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the opening.

Waiting for passengers to board the first train.

Our group at the Kippa-Ring station

Is the train ready? First train to leave Kippa-Ring.

It was an early start for the Village people, who were dressed in costume and ready for the bus journey from the Caboolture Historical Village to Kippa-Ring ready for the event, that many had been waiting for.  It was over 100 years since the first discussion and promise to build the rail line.

On arrival at the station, they discovered that they were the only attendees in costume, apart from the Mayor who also dressed top hat and tails, as did David Black.  The Village people were most popular for photographers, not only the amateurs but many of the major television stations and newspapers too!

There was a long waiting time, while the VIP’s gathered, but water and biscuits were provided  before the Prime Minister arrived and the ceremony got under way with poet Rupert McCall as the MC, and with Welcome to Country from the Gubbi Gubbi people.

Speeches by Mayor Allan Sutherland, Premier  Annastacia Palaszczuk, and the Prime Minister were followed by the cutting of the ribbon with all three in charge of scissors!

Then VIP’s were invited onto the platform and the train for its first journey.  Then a number of trains took the public on a journey to Petrie.  A free ride for all for the day.  As from tomorrow, there will be fares, so the Redcliffe Peninsula folk will have to use their GoCards.

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