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Christmas time was another golden
opportunity for big celebrations as
well, and for several days leading up to
Christmas, Santa would arrive nightly
in a coach drawn by a Shetland pony
and give a parcel of goodies to every
child at the theatre.

Boondall Drive-In was also the centre
for The Brisbane Go-Kart Club which
met there every Saturday and held races
in the drive-in grounds around several
ramps of roped-off speaker posts.

Bales of hay were packed around the My assistant and I would give a
speaker posts to protect them from out demonstration of how it should be done
of control karts - of which there were on two ‘hot karts’ with a bit of showing
plenty. Some speaker posts were actually off and spin-outs etc to stir the patrons
knocked right out of the ground. up and get their blood rushing - then we
would take the ‘hot karts’ back to the shed
Great crowds would attend these meetings and bring out several governed down
as Go-Karts were rather new at the time machines (for safety) which patrons could
and many of them were ‘home made’ - drive for 1/- (10 cents) a lap. About 15
sometimes being partly built from old minutes before show-time we would put
lawn-mower parts whilst others were very the karts away and open up those front
fast and built by professionals. The race three ramps for the movies. The Go-Karts
meeting would finish in time for the hay were very popular.
bales to be removed, the grounds cleaned
up and all karts and spectator cars removed My fun at the Boondall Drive-in came
from the theatre. Many of those who came to an end in September 1964 when Reg
for the Go-Kart races would then turn Hunt (who owned the theatre) moved
around and come back in for the movies. me up to Ayr in North Queensland to
manage his new drive-in The Stardust.
Go-Karts were also used as an attraction Unfortunately the Boondall Drive-In
at the theatre every night as well. We Theatre is now a housing estate – but
would rope off the three front ramps the memories live on. +
and allow patrons to drive specially
governed down karts. Photographs from the authors Collection.

BOONDALL MEMORIES

arly kart racing was held at Boondall
EDrive-In Theatre, Dot Osborn (Past
Secretary of QKC) is reputed to hold the
record for wiping out the most speaker poles
in one race! Other tracks in the Brisbane area
included a bitumen circuit behind the Big
Gun at Slacks Creek, one just adjacent to
the Blunder Creek at the back of Archerfield,
Ipswich track situated at Mt Crosby, also
Laidley Kart Club racing at the Laidley
showgrounds. – J. Walpole.
remember that one night at the Boondall
I Drive In Theatre, I had taken a young lady
there and at interval we got out to stretch
our legs. I went and got some food from the
Canteen, but on the way back the lights went
out and I got into the wrong car. Here I am
in the back seat thinking my lady friend must
be still in the toilet, anyway the owners of the
vehicle come back and found me. Boy, did I
have some explaining to do! - Dazza.

CINEMAREC ORD 2011 11