Page 14 - cr54

Wallis have one remaining from The days of Australians seeing most
their large South Australian circuit at of their films at the drive-in are gone,
Gepps Cross, and Perth and south-east but they remain as the only place where
Queensland have one left each. two of the great icons of our time, the
Around a dozen more still operate automobile and the motion picture,
around the country. Most people are come together. ★
surprised to learn that any drive-ins
have survived; some of this current Acknowledgements:
generation don’t even know what a My thanks to the members of CATHS
drive-in theatre is. who have shared information with me
These remaining drive-ins are over the years. Other sources include
enjoying a renaissance as those with fond The Drive-in Theatre by Kerry
memories from their childhoods return Seagrave, Drive-in Movie Memories by
with their families and a new generation Don and Susan Sanders, The American
discovers the fun of open-air movies in Drive-in Movie Theatre by Don and
the car. Some drive-ins have even re- Susan Sanders, Perth, A Cinema
opened to cater for these new audiences. History by Max D. Bell and of course
Today’s drive-ins often boast three my own collection.
This sign stood for years after screens, FM stereo sound, quality food
Broadmeadows had been demolished. once again and the latest blockbuster
films.

SCREENS AUSTRALIA

Like the hard top cinema before it, The number of drive-ins is Hardtop Drive-Ins
drive in construction naturally followed compared in the same way, at about Nos. % Nos. %
population growth. Exactly how closely their peak in 1976. Although the NSW 620 33 47 15
can be seen in the table. The first hardtop and drive-in screen totals are
Vic. 430 23 59 19
column compares hardtop theatres naturally different, on a percentage
Qld. 372 20 55 18
across all states and territories of basis they might be expected to be
S.A. 209 11 37 12
Australia. These numbers are also about the same. In fact Western
shown as a percentage by state. Not Australia is the surprise here, taking to W.A. 155 8 100 32
surprisingly, the state with the highest drive-ins with a vengeance. The dip in Tas. 92 5 5 2
population - NSW - also had the most NSW is explained by draconian N.T. 4 - 3 1
cinemas. planning laws, which first delayed, and A.C.T 4 - 2
then made construction more expensive. Total 1,886 100 308 100

Sources:
Hard top cinemas - Film Weekly 1957 Drive-in data - Film Weekly 1976 and research by David Kilderry

REEL

DEALS

KEEPING FILM
COLLECTORS IN TOUCH

ENQUIRIES:
MIKE TRICKETT
25 Fairlie Street
North Geelong Vic. 3216
Phone: AH 03 5278 1986
Fax: 03 5278 3545
Email: filmman@ncable.net.au

14 2007 CINEMARECORD