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Regular film screenings ceased in
the 1970s. Later, Geoff Hughes, the son
of the owners, converted the cinema
into a roller-skating rink. A new use for
the large basement was found when the
Korumburra Shire leased space there
for the storage of Council records.
The theatre was badly damaged by
fire in 1982 and was subsequently
demolished. The site was used as a car
yard before some new, single-storey
shops were built.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thanks to Tom Ingram (CATHS) for
the donation of an Alpha Theatres
Company prospectus and for
copies of the South Gippsland Sentinel
Times.
The theatre building in 1973. Image: John Fitzsimons.
REFERENCES:
1. Health Department file held at the
Melbourne Archives Centre. Direct Current (DC) arcs supplied by a part of the reconstruction of the
2. The Motion Picture Annual Directory motor generator set in a basement Majestic in 1936. Within a year or so
- various issues. below the stalls. These were later they were deemed inappropriate and
changed to automatic feed Alternating were offered for sale. Again we were
Memories of the Korumburra Current (AC) arcs. up above the ceiling, hauling the lights
Theatre - Ern Bruhn The projectionist was a Mr. Jack up and securing them to the roof
The theatre was a large brick Geddes, who was the local electrician, trusses. The large centre-piece needed a
building with two shops on each side of and the assistant was “Tige” block and tackle to pull it up. It was
a central foyer, with a central island Weymouth, who lived in Poowong. fitted with four light circuits, white,
ticket office. The layout was pleasingly The auditorium was a great barn of red, yellow and blue, which Jack
symmetrical. Stairs on each side of the a place, with three small windows high Geddes wired back to the bio box.
ground floor foyer led up to a large up on each of the side walls and with a Alec Jeansh also made up an
balcony foyer. The entrance to the Dress plain, curved ceiling, all devoid of amplifier and speaker system. The
Circle was through two doors off this ornamentation. Consequently it was speakers were placed one each side of
foyer, a pattern duplicated on the ground hopeless acoustically. the proscenium and were used to play
floor. The seats in the Back Stalls were organ music before the show and at
When Lawrence Bros. took over the
screwed down on to a slightly raked Interval. The records were by Reginald
theatre in 1935 the first thing Alf did,
floor. Those on the flat floor of the Front Dixon and other organists of the time.
on the advice of Alec Jeansh - who at
Stalls were locked in groups on battens, The theatre did very well in the
that time owned the Cameo at Belgrave
which became skids when the floor was halcyon days of the 1940s and the early
and was a great friend of Alf - was to
to cleared for dances. 1950s. For quite a time it was showing
purchase rolls of burlap which were
The entrance was closed off from dyed blue. Curtains were made for the up to six nights a week, until TV started
the street by wire shutters, to be taken windows and three rows of curtains in 1956. Then came the gradual decline,
down and then re-fitted after each show. were draped from the ceiling across the and Lawrence Bros. sold out to a Mr.
These were later replaced by a set of theatre. I well remember working with Kitchen who was showing in the
glass doors, recessed slightly from the Alf and others and the job we had to Paramount at Oakleigh. Mr. Kitchen
footpath. These doors were made and get them pulled up and secured. Also, refurbished the theatre and installed new
installed by Fred Bruhn (my father) curtains were secured to the rear wall equipment with magnetic sound, but
who was a builder in the town. of the dress circle. This treatment was even that could not compete with TV.
The stage was quite large with very effective and greatly improved the The theatre was unused for some
wings each side of the proscenium. sound quality. time, but was re-opened as a disco and
Steps each side led into the wings. For winter comfort, electric tube skating rink and was being used as such
Dressing rooms were downstairs under heating was installed under the seats in when it was destroyed by fire.
the stage. the dress circle and the back stalls. This The father of the Lawrence Bros.,
The bio box was above the dress was replaced at a later date with an oil- Mr. James Lawrence owned and
circle and entered from the balcony fired heating system which Alf obtained operated The Lyrebird Cordial Factory
foyer by a ladder into the rewind room. from a theatre which was closing down. in Korumburra in about 1910. As near
A second entrance was made at a later The combustion chamber was installed as can be ascertained, part of the
date from the dress circle. in the area beneath the stage. factory was located on an area later
The equipment was, I think, C &W Alf also bought light fittings from occupied by the stage of the theatre.
projectors, fitted with Fred Bevans’ the Majestic theatre in Flinders Street.
sound heads and amplifier. The (Melbourne). These handsome pieces
projectors were fitted with hand fed had been fitted above the balcony as

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