The station has become the headquarters of the Australian Railway Historical Society, a not-for-profit organisation trading as SteamRanger, which runs more than 200 trips per year, of various durations, on the line.

The Mount Barker station building, opened on 27 November 1883, was built from distinctive Aldgate freestone; it included the stationmaster's quarters and a ticketing office.

Regular services operated until passenger numbers declined in the late 20th century, largely because of the circuitous rail route between Adelaide and Victor Harbor and increasing ownership of motor cars.

As a result of rapid growth and traffic congestion on the South Eastern Freeway, sporadic calls have been made since the late 2010s to extend the former passenger rail service beyond Belair to Mount Barker.

[citation needed] As part of the move, the District Council of Mount Barker renovated the station building, at the time derelict, to become SteamRanger's base.