Page 20 - CR

Compared with the rather austere The theatre took some nine months
Town Hall, the Austral was of to build and provided almost
moderne design incorporating up-to- continuous employment for 40 men.
date appointments which promised It extended the depth of a full block
exciting times ahead. between Smith Street and Robertson
It was considered a wonderful new Street on land previously purchased by
asset for the town. Dugald Caldwell and added to in
partnership by Alexander Anderson.

Above: Last show at the Town Hall

Children were the first to
experience the new talkies with a
Saturday Matinee on opening day, 21st
November 1931.
Mickey Mouse and an Australian-
British production, Windjammers
treated over 1000 local enthusiastic
children. At night, Rio Rita was the
main attraction. The projection
equipment was relocated to the new
theatre over the road, between 11th and
14th December 1935 when Austral
(14,15)
Pictures at the Town Hall closed.
The establishment of a purpose-
built picture theatre in an isolated
country town was always greeted with
great excitement by the community.
The local newspaper usually waxed
lyrically over a newly constructed
building – potentially for the paper, a
Above: First show - 18th December, 1935. Below: Public Notice on 10th December 1935.
new source of revenue! Such was the
case with Narracoorte when the Austral
was opened on the 18th of December
1935. The Narracoorte Herald ran a
front page story complete with exterior
photograph and five headlines a couple
of days before the opening! According
to the Herald, this came about,
primarily because Dugald learnt that
another party was considering the
establishment of a picture theatre in the
town and that “the time was ripe… to
build his theatre or it would be done by
(7)
someone else…”.

20 2010 CINEMARECORD