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The proscenium was a simple timber surround of the screen,
with decorative, non-moving drapes at each side. Behind the
screen, was the speaker recess. The men’s toilets were accessed
via doors at this end of the building. Canvas stretcher chairs
formed the seating in a 4 + 2 + 4 configuration with two aisles.
Externally, the Astor is a simple rectangular timber building set
low to the ground. The roof is gabled and clad in corrugated
iron and is concealed from the front by a deep stepped parapet.
There are louvred windows in the upper section of the parapet
and it has a cantilevered awning over the entrance doors. There
are exit doors in the side and rear of the building as well as the
front entrance.
The front section of the building is divided into three and
comprises a central foyer with a confectionary bar to the left and
the ladies toilets to the right. The projection box is above the
foyer and is reached by narrow timber stairs on the left hand
side.
Canvas seating in place, but unused (2015). The Astor had two screenings a week, plus on Saturday there
Surat was connected to electricity in 1953 when the Aldridge family sold was an extra matinee at times.
the theatre to Mr. S Barry, who had run the Queen's Theatre Television came to Surat in the
in Toowoomba during World War II. During Barry's ownership the Astor 1970s and reduced attendances, as
underwent major changes. In the 1950s it was converted into an indoor it had elsewhere. Barry sold the
theatre and roofed over, although it retained an earth floor. Such theatre to Lawrence Cherry who
conversions were commonly made to shelter patrons and improve sound owned a local service station.
quality.
Between 1974 and 1981 Cherry,
In the 1960s the Astor was extended substantially, toilets were added N & M Crain and L & D Waud
and a raked timber floor installed. The auditorium was a simple ran the Astor, which was then
rectangular space, the walls were lined with timber and fibrous plaster purchased by Len and Doreen
sheeting. The ceiling remained unlined, with laminated timber struts Waud. Mr Waud had been a
bracing the walls. There were several louvred timber windows along the projectionist in Sydney in 1936 and his wife an usherette at the Regent
walls to provide ventilation in summer. The interior lining now covered in Toowoomba. They installed a new sound system and made other
this provision for ventilation. The theatre could become very cold in improvements.
winter and gas heating was added replacing the chip heaters originally In common with many rural centres, Surat lost population in the 1980s
used.
and 1990s as falling prices and severe drought reduced the town's income
and businesses closed. The Astor reopened to host the Movie Muster, a
festival of Australian films, during the Centenary of Federation
celebrations in 2001. Although extensions and additions took place in
the mid 20th century, these were to improve the function as a picture
theatre rather than to create change and, although in poor condition
(2015), the building is still a good example of its type, which has become
rare.
Since closure, the theatre has fallen into disrepair, but the Federal
Government has come to the rescue with $88,000 from its cultural
heritage projects program for restoration.
Astor Theatre was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 2002.★
Credits:
Based in material sourced from Wikipedia, Queensland Heritage and from
personal inspection in 2015.

Images:
Main image: Gerry Kennedy (2003).
Above and below: Showing signs of deterioration in 2015. 1990s auditorium image: Thom Blake
All images on this page Mike Trickett (2015).

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