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The Korumburra Theatre:

Three Stories.

From the beginning to the end - dances, plays, skating and assemblies.
Gerry Kennedy The auditorium was cavernous, with
Korumburra (population 2775) is minimal decoration, and a curved ceiling
situated on the South Gippsland so popular in theatres of the period. A
Highway in south-east Victoria, at the shallow, concave-fronted balcony
centre of an important dairying area. supported about six rows of seats.
Once the major railway depot on the Except for the back of the stalls the
now defunct Yarram line, black-coal floor was flat. The basement area
was another early source of contained general storage, men’s and
employment. women’s cloak rooms, prop storage and
Films were first screened on a access to the orchestra pit.
regular basis from 1916, in the On opening night the theatre seated
Mechanics Hall in Radovick St. 823 (Front Circle 182, Back Circle 35,
(1)
An advertisement in The Front Stalls 321 and Back Stalls 285) ,
Korumburra Advocate of 11th June surely one of very few theatres where
1925 advised readers of a prospectus front stalls capacity was larger than PICTURES
for the newly formed Alpha Theatres back stalls! Over the years the capacity
Company Pty Ltd. The directors were was reduced until the building was Pictures, as we are mostly aware,
(2)
W. Herbertson, Elijah Alp, W.O. usually credited with 800 seats . have become a national institution,
not only because of the question of
McPherson, A.C. Leggo. W.F. Cope, The brick facade featured three
passing happy hours away, but,
F.E. Kurrie and F.J. McNamara with wide windows to the balcony foyer and
more important still, because of
Arthur Juratowitch as secretary . other upstairs meeting and cloak rooms.
(1)
their great educational value the
A public company to fund the From the street the theatre was a
construction of a theatre was rare in grand sight with a full-width cantilever wide world over, hence their reason
Gippsland. Most capital backing was verandah - complete with a bowed for being one of the largest
arranged by either family or partnership section over the central theatre entrance industries today; therefore, by giving
ventures. – as was befitting a prosperous country the Public the right high-class
picture, which we will most certainly
The land on Commercial Street was town.
do, we are assured of good loyal
purchased from Mrs. F.N. Alp for 2,500 The location of the projection room patronage; the Company in this
pounds ($5,000) also conformed to the new standard of
respect have been fortunate in
Construction commenced in 1925 the best cinemas - within the auditorium securing for it's Manager one of the
and continued whilst the sale of shares at the rear of the circle. Ventilation for most able men in this capacity in
continued. Eventually cost over-runs the auditorium was provided by large Victoria.
outstripped funds. The company was windows fitted into the side walls. DANCING
forced into liquidation when the Heating was added in later years.
Dancing has, and always will be,
builders sued for payment. A down-turn in attendances caused
what it is, the young people's
In August 1926, one of the builders, by the Depression can be deduced from
greatest indoor pastime; in fact,
Mr. Thomas purchased the incomplete the changes in management in the early
from the great number of Palais that
building at auction for 9,950 pounds thirties. The head office of the
are being opened we can
($19,900). A new company was formed Korumburra Theatre Company was in
conscientiouslv say that it is
to complete the theatre - The Fitzroy (Melbourne) until 1932. Then
becoming more popular every day.
Korumburra Theatre Ltd. Terry Ahern’s South Gippsland Theatre
To cater for our Dancing Palais we
Typical of country theatre construction Company leased and operated the are going to supply music played by
of the time, the Korumburra Theatre business for about one year. In 1933 the Dance Experts, which will also do
was exuberantly over-sized for a town (at building was sold to a Melbourne duty at the Pictures. - Huge
that time) of 4,700 people. investor, E. H. Castle of Moonee Dividends are being paid by
The brick structure was in two Ponds. Finally, Lawrence Bros. brought Picture Companies all over
sections; a gable-roofed auditorium stability to the enterprise when they ran VICT0RIA, and we can confidently
with a two-storey commercial (four the business from c.1935, purchased the assert that the above investment will
shops) and foyer component to the property and made some refurbishment prove a very lucrative concern.
street frontage. The building site sloped and acoustic improvements. Pictures, Tuesdays and Saturdays
steeply away from street level; a During the 1950s J.G. and E.V. Dancing, Mondays and Wednesday
decided advantage for planning a Hughes were the listed exhibitors and
building with a large basement. owners. Under the Hughes ownership Above: An extract from the Prospectus
The theatre was built as a multi- the theatre was again re-equipped and
purpose venue to accommodate films, refurbished.

34 2005 CINEMARECORD