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($160) to undertake a 16-day tour of
the interior of Australia. ‘They were out
to learn something at first hand about
this immense area where hundreds of
thousands of thousands of square miles
of territory are not cut by a railway.’
Beginning 2 August 1927 the luxury
train went as far as Terowie (SA) where
the party boarded the Ghan for the trip
to Oodnadatta, thence by car to Alice
Springs to further explore the outback.
Eighteen Dodge tourers, a truck,
camels, donkeys and an aeroplane
supported the party. After the trip, the
Melbourne agents for Dodge cars used
the event to publicize the reliability of
their vehicles.
The itinerary for the tour included
this statement: ‘During the evening of
the 8th or the 13th, if satisfactory
arrangements can be made, the RESO
party proposes to screen moving
Resonians leaving Spencer Street Station for the Outback in 1927.
pictures, which will be the first shown
in the interior of Australia.’ The Spirit of Progress, the best- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Did any cinema carriage in any engineered train built in Australia, of Mel Elliott suggested the concept of
country actually screen films while the world-class standard, did not have a cinemas on trains and provided the
train was moving? The story of the cinema carriage, which perhaps says a introduction to Bob Whitehead.
Rail buffs can read more about the
restored UK carriage is silent on this lot about vibration on Victoria's steel
cinema carriage restoration in an
point. Vibration is the enemy of the highways. Even so, railway historian
article by Lance Adlam at
projected image, but in England, where Bob Whitehead recalls a group rail trip
www.heritagerailway.co.uk -
standards for grade and track work to the wineries of north-east Victoria,
February 2005.
were possibly the highest in the world, on the Albury -Melbourne line that the
The history of the Better Farming Train
film projection on an express train Spirit once used. On the way home the
and The Victorian Natural Resources
might have been possible. If it group set up a screen and projector and
Development Train is told by David
happened anywhere else, a guess would showed films in their carriage. Bob said Elvery in Rural Education - By
suggest that it would have been in the that the quality of the image was Steam, an assignment for La Trobe
United States or Canada. surprisingly good. H University (Bendigo), Graduate
Diploma of Regional Studies (History) -
490 Research Project, November 1966.

The Cinema And Theatre Historical Society Inc. is proud to have
The Sun Theatre Yarraville as our major sponsor. Many thanks to member
Mr Michael Smith, the owner of the Sun Theatre, for providing the venue for
CATHS meetings and events.

For program and venue hire inquiries, contact Theatre Manager Ms Giulia Virtuoso
on Tel: 9362 0999 u Fax: 9362 0338 Website: www.suntheatre.com.au
u
Email: giulia@suntheatre.net.au

8 Ballarat Street, Yarraville 3013

10 2005 CINEMARECORD