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FRIDAY 3 MARCH 2006: BLUE MOUNTAINS TOURAY 3 MARCH 2006: BLUE MOUNTAINS TOUR
FRID
FRIDAY 3 MARCH 2006: BLUE MOUNTAINS TOURFRIDAY 3 MARCH 2006: BLUE MOUNTAINS TOUR we were left to our own devices. Katoomba formerly had two cine-
EmbassyEmbassy
EmpireEmpire
Meeting up outside the hotel, we took the short walk up to Central mas – the EmbassyEmbassy, remodelled in 1936 from the earlier EmpireEmpire of
Station to begin an excursion into the Blue Mountains to the West of 1915; it closed in1954 and was converted into a general conven-
Sydney. The double-deck train heads West following the Great West- ience store and is still in retail use as ‘Bag-a-Bargain’. Nearer to the
SavoySavoy
ern Highway through picturesque small towns and climbing up to the station, the SavoySavoy building is listed by the National Trust and stands
SavoySavoy
King’sKing’s TheatreTheatre
Blue Mountains National Park with its scenic views. Two hours later on the site of the old King’sKing’s TheatreTheatre. The SavoySavoy opened in 1936 and
and we were 3,500 feet above sea level at the small village of closed in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The abandoned auditorium
Mount Victoria. A short walk from the station and we were welcomed was badly damaged by fire in 1982 but the façade, foyers and upper
Mount Vic Flicks Mount Vic Flicks
at Mount Vic Flicks Mount Vic Flicks by its operators, Ron and Dianne Bayley, with sections remain in use as a restaurant. As a number of us peered
cups of coffee and biscuits. The single-screen cinema was estab- though the locked front doors, a friendly key-holder came up and
lished in 1987 and occupies what opened in 1934 as a Public Hall. invited us inside for a look round.
Seating for 300 is on one level on an almost flat floor of what was It is still possible to see films in Katoomba however. A short way
Edge Blue Mountains CinemaEdge Blue Mountains Cinema
RitzRitz
clearly built as a public hall. The cinema is ‘twinned’ with the RitzRitz across the railway tracks lies The Edge Blue Mountains CinemaEdge Blue Mountains Cinema.
Cinemainema in Thirsk, Yorkshire, UK. An interesting slide presentation on Built and opened in 1995 with 370 seats, specifically for the screen-
C
CinemaCinema
historic Sydney and the construction of the Opera House by Ian Han- ing, chiefly for tourists, of a documentary The Edge - The Movie in
son was interrupted for lunch at the nearby Imperial Hotel. As we iWERKS 8/70. The film is the “ultimate Blue Mountains wilderness
left for the station, each member of the party was presented with a experience” shown on a six-storey high screen with six track DTS
Mount Vic Flicks nt Vic Flicks souvenir mug.
Mou surround sound. The cinema now also shows regular release films
Mount Vic Flicks Mount Vic Flicks
on 35mm or 70mm projectors.
SATURDAY 4 MARCH 2006: ATURDAY 4 MARCH 2006:
SATURDAY 4 MARCH 2006: SATURDAY 4 MARCH 2006:
S
FR
FREE DAYEE DAY
FREE DAYFREE DAY
This was our last free day in Aus-
tralia. Some took the opportunity
to visit Sydney’s Taronga Zoo so
that they would not be going home
to the UK without seeing any of
Australia’s native wildlife! A pleas-
ant trip on a Harbour Ferry was
rewarded with the sight of the
three K’s - Kangaroo, Koala and
Kookaburra. Along with all the
other species, well kept in spa-
cious surroundings and not a cage
Mount Vi
Mount Vic Flicks Mount Vic Flicks
Mount Vic Flicks c Flicks in sight – well worth the visit!
Back to city and the crowds
Boarding a train heading towards Sydney, we passed through Black- seemed to be getting in the spirit
heath (not the one in South East London!) and arrived at the small for the famous Sydney Mardi Gras. Tell Ken I’m not ready yet!
town of Katoomba. The formal arrangements for the day at an end,
SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2006: IT’S A MYSTERYSUNDAY 5 MARCH 2006: IT’S A MYSTERY
S
SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2006: IT’S A MYSTERYUNDAY 5 MARCH 2006: IT’S A MYSTERY
Our last full day in Sydney caught up on some of the places that,
although planned, there had not been time to fit in previously. The
first journey was on a service bus to the suburb of Leichhardt where
we were welcomed at the Palace Norton Street Cinema Palace Norton Street Cinema four-screen
Palace Norton Street Cinema Palace Norton Street Cinema
multiplex. This is run by the Palace Cinemas circuit and is a stylish
conversion of an earlier industrial building. The spacious foyer pro-
vides access not only to the cinemas but also to a restaurant on a
raised area. The cinemas, although in a curtained multiplex style,
were spacious, well-raked and comfortably seated. Programming is
varied – not only mainstream releases but also art films, reflecting
the cosmopolitan area where the cinema is situated. Starting on the
following Wednesday was a French Film Festival for two weeks.
As this was possibly the last venue where we could be gathered The CTA Visit Group
together indoors, the opportunity was taken to make a vote of we returned to find that permission had been gained for us to view
thanks and a presentation to Ken Roe for the splendid job he had the foyers. A little later, presumably having been vetted for vandals
done in organising such a wonderful experience. In a short re- and trouble makers, we were informed that we could go into the
sponse, he thanked our Australian hosts, Gerry Kennedy and Ian auditorium too, although only the circle area. The Roxy Theatre Roxy Theatre
Roxy Theatre Roxy Theatre
Hanson, for all their help in making the visit such a huge success. opened in 1930 with 1,938 seats and a Christie 3-manual 10-rank
The members of the group were also praised for their timekeeping organ (since removed). Set back from the road between two arcades
and good behaviour, which had made Ken’s job so much easier. of shops, the theatre is in Spanish Colonial style. It was run inde-
Next, it was first a bus pendently until 1937 then by Western Suburbs Cinemas until 1946
and then on the train to when it was bought by Hoyts. Hoyts split it into three screens in
Paramatta for the Roxy Roxy 1976, the main screen being in the circle extended forwards,
RoxyRoxy
TheatreTheatre
Th though not using the original proscenium. Some restoration was
Theatreeatre, where we arrived
with some doubts that we done in 1988 and Village took over the running of the cinema in
were going to be allowed 1996 until closure in 2002. The present owners plan to remodel it
into the building. There for use as a functions venue, though the balcony area is presently
being some time before used for cabaret. The foyers appear to be largely unaltered and the
we were expected, the circle area still has its Spanish Colonial decoration and is lit by a
The organisers – from the left: opportunity was taken for small chandelier from the centre of a large dome with smaller ones
Gerry Kennedy, Ken Roe & Ian Hanson a lunch break. After this in each corner of the theatre.

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