Page 2 - CR

Melbourne’s

North
Preston &
Thornbury

By Shane Moore

After a short drive to the adjacent
suburb of Thornbury, our next
inspection was the original (1915)
Thornbury Picture Theatre.
Located at 911 High St, at one Since closing as a cinema, the
time it was also known as the Rio Regent served as a reception centre
and was built on the site of the for many years - however new
espite somewhat cool and wet original open-air show. owners have now renamed it The
D conditions, on Saturday 23rd Thornbury Theatre and it has
The auditorium has been divided
October 2010 a healthy contingent become a multi-purpose venue
horizontally and now contains a
of CATHS members and friends met presenting events as varied as
Dance Studio upstairs whilst a
at our first venue for inspection, this wrestling matches, live music
Nightclub occupies the ground floor.
being the former Rivoli Theatre in concerts and receptions etc.
Few traces of its cinema origins
West Preston.
remain. A Certificate of Appreciation was
CATHS had previously visited presented to each of our hosts and
A few doors away, keen
the Rivoli in 2001 and we once received with great enthusiasm.
photographers noted the former
again received a warm welcome
Planet Theatre — now a furniture
from our hosts Joe and Michael. Tour Organizers:
showroom.
Little has changed inside the Shane Moore and Barrie Wraith
A short walk along High Street
building during that time and it Photographs courtesy of
brought the group to the Thornbury’s
remains a distribution centre for Mike Trickett and Kevin Adams.
former (1925) Regent Theatre.
fancy bottles, trigger sprays and
other plastic products. Hoyts Theatres were the
proprietors from the early 1930s until
The balcony, foyers, proscenium
closure in June 1967. Despite the
and bio-box areas remain extant, as
horizontal dividing of the huge, wide
well as many of the original light
auditorium space, many original
fittings.
features still remain. These include
Historically, the theatre had opened
the beautiful foyers and much plaster
in November 1935 with some 870
decoration throughout; however the
seats and closure came in 1958.
upstairs gallery seating has been
removed since CATHS last visit.

2 2010 CINEMARECORD