Page 13 - CinemaRecord #87

circuit; at the time this privilege was shared by
The Valley Theatre, Traralgon, and the
Village Drive-ins at Moe and Traralgon and
the Panoramic Drive In at Morwell.
In 1968 the Trewins took a large gamble and
equipped the theatre for 70 mm presentation;
this was to be the only such installation in a
country hard-top theatre in Victoria. A top-
hinged screen on a demountable aluminium
frame was placed in front of the existing stage
and proscenium. The stage area could not
accommodate the large screen and it was
necessary to still allow the theatre to be used
for live performances. The screen was hinged
to be lifted out of the way for live productions.
The move paid off, as Yallourn regained its
first run status with many distributors, much
to the chagrin of the nearby Village circuit
drive-in.
The eager staff man the Art Deco style candy bar
Big budget, 70 mm films were screened for
extended seasons after which the theatre would Burke was a long term usherette serving a Builder: Pomeroy and Lumley, assisted by
revert to screening three nights per week. On similar length of service at the two locations. SEC staff. Bricklayer: Keith Denny
some occasions, both the Yallourn and Valley The Yallourn Theatre closed on 6 December,
Theatre (Traralgon) jointly promoted and 1978. The final programme was a repeat Opened: 19 May 1939 by Mr R A Hunt.
screened first release films. season of Gone with the Wind. Some projection General Superintendent of the State Electricity
and other equipment was moved to the new Commission and Mr C H Beanland, President
In 1974, due to the threatened demise of the Morwell Village Twin site. ê of the Yallourn Civic Association.
Yallourn Township, the Trewins purchased the Closed: 6 December, 1978.
former Maya Theatre in Buckley Street Footnote:
Morwell, which had been converted into a The township of Yallourn was completely Acknowledgements:
Building Magazine, August 1939.
tenpin bowling alley. The Trewins, in demolished, and its former site is now part of Mitchell Library, Sydney (OS690.5 Vol. 1).
partnership with Village Theatres, converted the large open cut brown coal mine. State Electricity Commission Centre, Yallourn.
the building into the Village Twin Cinema, "Yallourn Live Wire'' 17 May, 1939.
opening 20 December, 1978. Architects: "Latrobe Valley Express", 13 Dec. 1978.
William Gower - Architect to the former State Peter Ricketts
Among the staff was Nelson Smith, who was Electricity Commission of Victoria (SEC). Also interviews with Nelson Smith, Maxine Dunne,
the senior projectionist at Yallourn for 22 H Vivian Taylor and Soilleux consulting Dennis Trewin, and Neville Peckwith.
years, almost up to its closure. Nelson moved architects
across to the new Morwell Village Twin until Images:
its closure in 1996. Mrs Maxine Dunne nee CATHS Archive

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