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Cinema proprietors Shirley Swallow and Keith Smith.

Kevin spent $80,000 within a space In the end the fire didn’t take our Edna Murray confirms this, explaining
of two years to develop the home and my husband still teases me to that: “Oh yes, the cinema is definitely
infrastructure for the cinema. While the this day”. used for more than just showing films.
building was structurally fine, it was an Edna’s eyes light up as she recounts Monday nights is badminton, Tuesday is
empty shell in terms of wiring and her brazen statement, but there is a cards and it’s like that all week”.
acoustics. “Before I started the certain seriousness in her voice that The venue is also used by the
projection room was completely exposes the fear she had experienced of Country Women’s Association, the Red
empty”, Kevin recounts, “it took a lot losing everything that she held dear. Cross, Country Fire Authority and the
of work to get it all up and running”. Edna’s home is a time capsule of her Swanpool and District Land Protection
The hall opened its doors as a life: from the numerous photos of her Group. Residents need the hall, are
cinema for the first time on the 14th of children and grandchildren to all the familiar with it and according to local
October 1991. gifts of appreciation that she was given resident Ian Sinclair, “see it as their
With an official population of just during her 38-year tenancy as the district own”.
26, Swanpool, on the Midland postal worker. One item she is The success of the cinema also goes
Highway, about two and a half hours particularly proud of is a small gorilla back to the community in a material
from Melbourne, fits the famous that sings Wild Thing when it’s stomach way: the rent paid by Kevin and Shirley
description ‘If you blink- you’ll miss is compressed (in accordance with what is re-distributed into maintaining the
it’. Local member for parliament and she sees as her local reputation). Though facility.
representative of the National Party, she laughs them off as “silly things” her In July of 2006, Ian Herbert the
Bill Sykes describes the town as attachment is clear to see - to lose it all chair of the Memorial Town Hall
“basically a farming and grazing area would have been devastating. Committee, proposed that this money
with an increasing proportion of The Swanpool district could be (along with finances provided by
lifestylers moving in”. described as an aging population. While various charities and grants) go to the
According to local resident and retirees are seemingly attracted to the “installation of new windows, blackout
retired farmer Charles Jones, Swanpool strong sense of community, younger blinds and a new paint job” as well as a
enjoyed “a generally good climate with residents are often forced to move to reverse-cycle air conditioner and some
four regular seasons with high rainfall, neighbouring towns to further their structural refurbishment.
until climate change impacted”. education or diversify their career A broadscale ‘community
Successive years of low rainfall created opportunities. Kellie Mathieson, a 24 atmosphere’ has developed within the
one of the worst droughts in years. This year old primary school teacher, district. As Charles Jones put it “As a
has moved the area into the high-risk recognises the area is “friendly” but community cinema, the proprietors
category for bushfires. with limited opportunities for growth depend on volunteer staff (who also get
Town matriarch, Edna Murray, and job opportunities. to see the films for free) and every few
recounts a close call she had a few This aversion to change, or at least months Kevin and Shirley have a
years ago: “The fire was just over my acceptance that major growth is unlikely, luncheon at their home where all
backyard... I could see it about a has made the success of the cinema all volunteer workers and their families are
hundred metres away. Nothing could be the more remarkable. One factor that invited. So another social occasion is
done, you know? Even with the CFA helped the cinema integrate into the provided. This ‘inner’ group is very
office just across the road. In the end I Swanpool social fabric: the cinema is close knit, originally based on a love of
just said: ‘Blow this- I'm going to go still part of the town hall, sharing film and community participation but
get pissed!’ various events and social activities. now very much a community grouping
in their own right”.

CINEMARECORD 2008 23