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A Queensland Icon – and a family affair...

Playground 1964.

started work at the Stardust Drive-In Queensland once had 55 drive-ins,
I Theatre in the far-north Queensland however, apart from the Stardust, only
sugar town of Ayr in March 1975 as a five others remain open today. The
cleaner/groundsman, then progressed to Yatala Twin (formerly Beenleigh) the
casual projectionist. only operating drive-in in south-east
The theatre was built by Reg Hunt Frank and Suzzi. Queensland, opened in 1969 and has a
375-car capacity. Charters Towers' Tors
who opened it in September 1964 and it
Drive-In opened in 1966 and has a 300-
is now Queensland’s oldest operating Reg Hunt sold the theatre to Birch
car capacity; the tiny Jericho Drive-In
Drive-In Theatre. Carol and Coyle, who then leased it to
in central Queensland opened in 1969.
The first advertised movies at the the three Stanley brothers and their Mareeba’s Rodeo Drive-In opened in
Stardust (The Advocate, September 9, wives – Les and Claire, Bob and Joan, the 1960s, however it closed in 1998,
1964) were Northwest Frontier starring Pem and Dot.
before re-opening in 2002; and Wonga
Kenneth Moore and Lauren Bacall In the early 1970s when the
Drive-In opened in 1992 and now has
along with The Battle of the Sexes Stardust was put up for sale, Bob and
three screens with a 250-car capacity.
featuring Peter Sellers. The Drive-in Del O'Shea (Bob Stanley's daughter),
also advertised “Free pony rides, along with Ron and Pam Smith (Pem
midget cars and merry-go-round rides” and Dot’s daughter) bought the
for the kids. business and operated it until they sold
it to my wife and me in 1989.

Pony Rides - 1965.

12 2011 CINEMARECORD