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91. COHUNA THEATRES by Alan. V. Windley

Cohuna is situated in the Kerang District on the Murray from the gramophone, for the sound appear~d to be gener-
Valley Highway, 4 miles south of the Mun-ay River and is ated not directly from the disc, though these were used, but
sun-ounded by the Gunbower Creek. from a free and separate TYMPANUM which was set vi-
brating by a direct elecuic current. It was claimed to be an
The fust remembered picture shows were conducted in the improvement on wireless. The effect was to give out tones
Hall and were run by Mr. Hilbrick, who turned the projec- of an unusually full and vibrant character, and the instru-
tor by hand. He was assisted by Harold Dayken, the black- ment would be a valuable substitute for an orchestra in
smith. interlude work. It was the latest thing in music, and had
cost, it was said. considerably more than 200 pounds (400
In 1927 a Mr. W. Mullins (builder) was bringing to com- dollars) in install. The bioscope loft was constructed for
pletion Mr. Ken Yates' large new picture theatre located in two machjnes.
Main Street, to be called the Bower Theatre.
The front portion of the building had two stories, with two
At the time it was a big and adventurous undertaking, and shops on the ground floor and eight rooms or offices on the
cost altogether about 6,000 pounds ( 12,000 dollars). It was first floor. A commodious billiard room occupied the rear.
claimed to be one of the biggest structures of its kind north The structure was a large and extensive one and represented
of Bendigo. The inside measured 95 feet by 32 feet. The a very important and substantial architectural addition to
walls, which were of 14 inch brick, towered up to a fine the business premises of the town.
spreading trestled roof which was covered with fibrolite
sheeting, a material considered superior to, and more up to Ken Yates was born in Keilor in J 889. A war veteran
date, than ordinary galvanised iron. Over the centre, an wounded in France in 1917. He was persuaded by Sid
area was fitted with a sliding roof, which would greatly Luxford and Cliff Eley to leave Keilor and go to Cohw1a in
assist in keeping the atmosphere fresh and cool in summer 1923. Ken went to school with Sylvie Bubeck who became
time. a Director of O'Gilpins (O'Gilpins Transport, early 1930's)
which owned the 8 foot right-away next door (left side of
the theatre) which was used as the fire escape. She closed
this access so the Health Department closed the theatre in
1937.

Other theatres were created after 1937, when the "Bower"
was closed. Late in 1939 saw the start ofWWTI. when plans
were already in motion to replace the "Bower"

Bower Theatre 1997

The theatre was admirably floored with jarrah, which was
planed to a uniform level with an electrically driven plane
to make it fit for dancing. The seating was the most mod-
ern and comfortable of its kind, and consisted of 400 sepa-
rate, well-upholstered, tip up or theatre chairs. There were
three double escape doors provided in addition to the hand-
some wide entrance, whkh was lined with coloured porce-
lain tiling and paved with red cement, giving the approach Regent Theatre 1997
quite a smart metropolitan appearance. It was said that the
theatre would have done justice to Collins Street. According to local residents (in the pub) a Mr. P.F.
O'Halloran was to build a theatre, but restrictions on build-
The theau·e was lit with well-placed softy-radiating sus- ing material prevented it, but he was permitted to build a
pension lights of 200 candlepower, whilst music was pro- temporary theatre ir:t King George Street which be named
vided for film-accompaniment purposes by a new style of the "Regent", but named by the locals as the "Tin Shed".
instrument known as the PANATROPE. In outward ap-
pearance this PANATROPE closely resembled a supa- He planned to build a proper theatre after the war ended
sonora, but the principle of action is somewhat different but it didn't happen. The temporary theau·e still stands as

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