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For the local farmers, rain was the
pressing need, and when it poured
overnight, the visitors were hailed as
emissaries of good fortune.
After a hearty breakfast Sunday
morning (for those who got the eggs
and bacon), it was time to visit the
souvenir shop at the theatre, see some
more nostalgia films and head out to
the trotting track for a BBQ.
A visit to the Rex is now an annual
event, thanks to the generosity of Steve
and Dennis.
Shorts
• The Forum Cinemas, Flinders Street
may get a new awning. The proposal
is to reduce the width to make it less
of a sitting duck for large vehicles,
particularly those doing left turns into
Russell Street.
• Sign on the Boronia Cinema says,
‘Re-Opening Soon.’ The cinema is
said to be for sale at $900,000 or for
lease at $70,000 per year.
• Village Cinemas have settled on the
Karingal Hub 3 km east of the
Frankston railway station as the site
for a peninsular multiplex. Ten
screens are planned for the shopping
complex.
• AMC is building a 12-screen
complex in central Frankston. While
all this activity is underway, Kirby
Cinemas now operate the former
Village Frankston Cinemas One and
Two.
• Koroit theatre has re-opened under Nothing but the best. One of the Philips DP 70 projectors now at the Rex. These
council ownership. machines have an interesting history, first with 70mm productions in Bourke Street, then
•The Civic Centre, Swan Hill has re- at the Altona Drive-in. Image by Alan Windley.
opened after a major upgrade to
transform it into a multi purpose Friends of the Regent Theatre, ensure the ongoing protection,
venue. Wollongong conservation and public use of this
The public forum convened by heritage item.
INTERSTATE Friends of the Regent Theatre (FORT) On the question of alterations to the
on Thursday 25 March, collected 169 Regent, FORT supports the upgrading
Marion Scales Back
signatures on the day. Three resolutions of the cinema facilities to modern
The Greater Union complex at
resulted: standards, but in keeping with the
suburban Marion (S.A.), until recently
1. FORT supports the preservation heritage significance of the theatre and
the largest multiplex in the world, has
of the Regent Theatre as a heritage in consultation with FORT and the
shrunk. Opened as 30 screens, four of
item of significance to the City of National Trust.
the original spaces have been converted
Wollongong, the Illawarra region, the Friends and supporters can be kept
into three Gold Class cinemas, and
state and the nation. informed about developments with an
three others have been sealed off and
2. FORT rejects any proposal which email to fortgroup@iinet.net.au, or
the space returned to Westfield
seeks to demolish the Regent Theatre contact Karla Sperling, Convener,
Holdings. The mammoth projection
and supports the continued use of the Friends of the Regent Theatre
suite will remain the same length. The
Regent Theatre as a cinema. PO Box 497, Wollongong NSW
multiplex is still big – 26 screens. GU
expects the three luxury cinemas to 3. FORT calls on all parties to work 2500
open 1 July. towards seeking a solution that will
Reporting By: Mel Elliott, Colin Flint, Cameron Hall, David Kilderry,
Fred Page, Frank Van Straten, Ian Williams.
CINEMARECORD 2004 7