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The Cinemas & Theatres of Oz –– Part 2: Sydney Part 2: Sydney
The Cinemas & Theatres of Oz
The Cinemas & Theatres of Oz The Cinemas & Theatres of Oz –– Part 2: Sydney Part 2: Sydney

by Neville C TaylorNeville C Taylor
by Neville C Taylorby Neville C Taylor
by
SATURDAY 25 FEB 2006:SATURDAY 25 FEB 2006:
S
SATURDAY 25 FEB 2006:ATURDAY 25 FEB 2006:
CI
CINEMAS OF SYDNEY SUBURBS CINEMAS OF SYDNEY SUBURBS -- VINTAGE BUS TOUR DAY VINTAGE BUS TOUR DAY
CINEMAS OF SYDNEY SUBURBS NEMAS OF SYDNEY SUBURBS -- VINTAGE BUS TOUR DAY VINTAGE BUS TOUR DAY
Fully restored after the marathon train journey from Melbourne, the
CTA party gathered outside their Capitol Square Hotel at 8:30am on
a bright sunny day to be collected by a vintage Sydney double-
decker bus. Assisting Ken Roe for the Sydney stage of our visit was
Ian Hanson, a CTA member, of the Australian Cinema and Theatre
Society. The first stop of the day was in the suburb of Randwick,
RitzRitz CinemaCinema
home of the Art Deco style RitzRitz CinemaCinema.

The Bondi Open Air Cinema Bondi Open Air Cinema Bondi Beach
Bondi Open Air Cinema Bondi Open Air Cinema
The afternoon continued with a tour of some exteriors of old cine-
Marina Picture Palace Marina Picture Palace
mas – the Marina Picture Palace Marina Picture Palace at Rosebery; 1927 to 1984 [1,134
Majestic Cinema Majestic Cinema
seats] (now closed, Video store), the Majestic Cinema Majestic Cinema at Petersham;
1921 to 1977 [1,764 seats] (now closed, roller skating rink) and
Hoy
Hoyts Illawarra Roats Illawarra Road (now a function room and reception centre) in
Hoyts Illawarra RoaHoyts Illawarra Roa
Marrickville. The day finished with a visit to the Sydney Tram Mu-
seum at Loftus, where we were treated to rides on vintage trams
and feasted on a typical Australian Barbecue – sausages, steaks
(minute or 60 second, your choice!), chicken, salad and rolls accom-
panied by supplies of cold Ozzie beer!
The RitzRitz Randwick
RitzRitz
This opened in 1937 with 980 seats in stalls and circle and was
operated by Macray Theatres until 1954 when it was taken over by
Hoyts until 1962. It survived with a number of other operators and a
threat of demolition until being added to the National Trust Register
in 1993. Three additional screens (180, 240, 210 seats) were built
on land next door in 1996 with a frontage matching the original
cinema, which was also renovated although the seating was re-
duced to 833. A further two screens (280 & 63 seats) were added in
2001, again without affecting the original auditorium.

Marina Picture PalaceMarina Picture Palace
The Marina Picture PalaceMarina Picture Palace Roseberry

The interior of the RitzRitz Randwick
RitzRitz
RitzRitz
With the RitzRitz thoroughly explored and photographed, it was back on
the bus for a tour through the southern reaches of Sydney to the
world-famous Bondi Beach. No time for surfing and sun-bathing
though, a brief walk to see an outdoor cinema and then back on the
bus, travelling North up the coast to our lunch stop at Watson’s Bay
and a scenic view of Sydney in the distance. Also found here was
the New Rex CinemaNew Rex Cinema, now an antique showroom and offices. The MajesticMajestic Petersham
New Rex CinemaNew Rex Cinema
MajesticMajestic
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