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In 1961 a 405 metre-long Go Kart
track was built beside the northern
boundary for the Dandenong Go Kart
Club. Its use was restricted to daylight
hours. A brick sound barrier wall was
also constructed between the track and
ticket box. It was very popular and
hosted Australian championship events.
In 1963 Village Drive-in Theatres
bought out Kevin Donnelly and his
partners. The field became the Village
Dandenong, but the large ‘Panoramic’
sign at the front gates was left until it
finally blew down.

The Village Team. Back row: George Anderson - carhop, Jim Greenwell - manager;
Front: Harry Glennie - projectionist, Val Anderson - canteen and Graf Kassall - head
projectionist. Photo: Jim Greenwell.

Name change in 1963. The frame of this
standard Village sign now supports Lunar
advertising. Photo: Peter Ricketts
The name shuffle continued with
Village Dandenong Drive-in on Stud
Road changed to Village Dande North,
and finally to Village Rowville to more
accurately reflect its location.
Jim Greenwell was appointed drive-
in manager around this time and was
offered the house on site alongside the The snack bar in mid to late 1970s. Australian made Brady and Thompson speakers
driveway. The Greenwell family lived are on the posts. Photo: Jim Greenwell.
in this house, and the one that Jim built
to replace it, for 20 years. Popular films during this period In 1978 Cine-Fi AM radio sound
Business improved with the strength were Paint Your Wagon and Mary was installed for which the Cine-Fi lead
of the Village circuit; better product, Poppins. was attached to your car aerial. Some
marketing and operational skills. In 1973, a new steel screen ramps retained their speakers.
The ramps were expanded to fit 782 measuring 27 x 12 metres replaced the Dandenong traded reasonably well
cars. Extension speakers could be original wooden structure. Eight into the early 1980s. Films like Grease,
attached along the rear boundary fence concrete pads were placed between the Smokey And The Bandit and Superman
and cars would regularly park in these wooden poles as supports for the new The Movie were very popular.
positions and on the go-kart track. steel tower. Consolidation was becoming the
The field filled to capacity on many The new screen reflected a new era name of the game. Hoyts closed
Saturday nights and the car line of drive-in films. The ‘R’ certificate Broadmeadows in 1972, when they
regularly extended one km to the revolutionized the industry in Australia bought the nearby Coburg. Hoyts
railway crossing along Cranbourne in the early 1970’s. Sex and violence Altona, Village Reservoir, Sunshine
Road (South Gippsland Highway). gradually took over from family and Moorabbin were gone by 1982.
The drive-in snack bar was favourites, westerns and run-of-the-mill The VCR took hold and the years
expanded in 1967.The front wall was product from the major studios. AIP 1983 and 1984 were devastating for the
simply moved forwards and a new and other independent studios produced cinema industry in Australia.
outdoor seating area added. The snack films expressly for the drive-in market Village decided not to proceed with
bar was converted to a self-serve style. in the US and of course, Australia. a plan to twin Dandenong, partly
Ten-year old films were still
Decorative, circular- patterned because of their new alliance with
common as both revivals and supports.
Besser brick replaced the fibro-cement Hoyts Drive-in Theatres and the
Films like Lawrence Of Arabia still
sheet construction on the exterior of the continuing erosion of the drive-in
enjoyed runs well into the 1970’s.
building. business in general.
CINEMARECORD 2007 29