Page 14 - CinemaRecord #21R.pdf

The new brick hall complex includes a large main hall with a parquetry dance floor, and supper room (at a right
angle to the hall) with a separate kitchen. A club room for the R.S.L members is also included. The entrance
lobby on the right hand side of the hall is spacious and contains a ticket box. The wide stage has dressing
rooms. The hall has been built to a reverse plan with the stage closest to the street. A large projection room,
accessed by an outside staircase, has been built as a double storey wing, rear of the hall. The total project cost
$52,000 (1.1)

The Motion Picture Co-Op screened in the old and new halls from 1959 to 1971 when they ceased screening
because of declining audiences, rising film hire, and the construction of the nearby Birchip Drive-In theatre.

In 1995 there was community interest in reopening the Memorial Hall for screenings and a grant was received
from the Victorian Police Blue Light Disco to help start. The Woomelang Cinema Committee shows films on a
regular basis. The film exchanges have made the job more difficult by charging very high security bonds to
guarantee film hire payment. One or two exchanges have set the security bonds at astronomical levels (in the
thousands of dollars) so that the community in effect cannot hire the films. This has denied the community many
of the recent popular films which has proved particularly disappointing for the children.

Projection Booth and Equipment

The projection booth was still fully equipped and was quickly brought back into service; it included two C & W
Projectors with both Raycophone sound heads and automatic feed carbon arc lamp houses. A Raycophone slide
projector is also available. A home made sound system based on a valve amplifier and boosted with a Pioneer
amplifier provides the mono sound. Advertisements are printed off a computer or photo copied onto film.

In one weekend of glory the Woomelang Hall operated as a "twin cinema" screening "On Our Selection" in the
main hall whilst "101 Dalmatians" was screened in the supper room on 16m.m.

Another recent attempt has been made to improve the acoustics in the main hall. Fire proofed hessian fabric is
hung around the walls for screenings. The Committee is currently investigating the replacement of the arch
lamps with Xenon lamps. The current Committee President, Colin Barber and the Secretary Gary Barbary
provide the staffing and technical expertise to the run the cinema.

Acknowledgements: 1 "Land Worth Saving" by Nancy Schumann. The Sunnyland Press, Red Cliffs p. 104
1.1 p.p.105, 125, 126
2 A History of the Woomelang Motion Picture Co-Op, E.L. Barbary Hon. Sec.
3 Interviews Colin Barber and Gary Barbary - Woomelang Cinema Committee
Photos: Exterior by Colin Barber. Interiors from the Gerry Kennedy collection