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The         OZONE                                                by Gerry
                     Mildura                                                             Kennedy




               he rural city of Mildura is   The Waterman Brother’s chain of    excellence in sound and vision, and
               situated in the Sunraysia     Ozone theatres operated in close   luxurious comfort for patrons. The
         Tirrigation district of Victoria,   association with the Hoyts chain,  rectangular boxes of the earlier era were
          some 557 kms north west of         which later acquired the South     very much challenged by these new
          Melbourne.  Today the Mildura and  Australian Company in 1951.        innovative building designs.
          district population is about 50,000. The  The Ozone joined a famous group of  On 6 May 1938 the architects
          Sunraysia area is truly like an oasis in  seven theatres that were designed by  submitted plans to the Victorian Health
          the desert and its economy is largely  architects H. Vivian Taylor and Soilleux,  Department (HD) for a large and
          based on the extensive orchard,    and built by T.R. & L. Cockram Pty.  distinctive two level theatre.  The plans
          vineyard and farming industries.   Ltd. (both of Melbourne) between 1935  were approved in the same month. The
            Cinema entertainment was always  and 1941 - the Ozone being the sixth in  building covered a site 22.5 m x 46.5
          in high demand - especially when the  the program. These magnificent theatres  m (75’ x 155’) and it was built in the
          fruit pickers temporarily increased the  of the later half of the 1930’s were  Art Deco style.
          district’s population during the   pacesetters in design, featuring technical  The floor plan included a wide
          summer season! Seeing the potential
          for good business in the area the
          Waterman Bros. (major cinema
          entrepreneurs from South Australia),
          acquired most of the cinemas in the
          Sunraysia district including screens in
          Mildura, Red Cliffs, Merbein and in
          nearby Wentworth (N.S.W). Up to the
          time of the building of the Ozone, the
          Astor and Capitol Theatres were the
          most comfortable and best-appointed
          houses in Mildura.
            The Ozone Theatre was situated in
          Langtree Avenue. It was built by
          Inland Theatres Pty. Ltd. C/- Ozone
          Theatres Pty .Ltd. of 41 King St.
          Adelaide; this was an associate
                                                                                                       Dress CircleFoyer
          Company of the Waterman Bros.

          6   2002 CINEMARECORD
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