Page 37 - CR

Next stop was a tour of the infamous convict A visit was made to the City Park Radio
settlement of Port Arthur. Cinematically, museum and community radio station where
back in 1927 the costliest Australian silent some of our group donned headphones and
film For The Term Of His Natural Life was warmed the announcers chair.
largely shot on location here.

Continuing north through Orford and
neighbouring Triabunna with spectacular
views to Maria Island, Great Oyster Bay
and the Freycinet Peninsula, we arrived at
Swansea. As luck would have it the small
weatherboard town hall once known as the
Regent Theatre, was open giving us access
to view the interior.
The route then turned inland over the range to
Campbelltown. Here we had a photo stop at the
Town Hall, one of the shows that had been part Swansea. City Park Radio.
of the Bye Brothers touring circuit.

Travelling north en-route to Launceston through As our last full day of our Tassie Tour In the afternoon we toured the former
the Nile region countryside captured on canvas dawned we had quite a full schedule. Local Majestic Theatre, now Neil Pitts menswear
by the colonial artist John Glover, we arrived CATHS member, Ray Peck joined us for the store. Neil Pitt and his son escorted us into the
at Launceston, our first call being to the former day’s excursions, the first being a tour of the upper levels of the building where reminders
Star Theatre at suburban Invermay. Princess Theatre in Brisbane Street. of its picture-theatre origins, projection ports,
light fittings and carpet, could still be seen.
Now a performing arts venue the art-deco The former circle-foyer had been converted
facade belies the ornate Edwardian interior, to a rag trade workroom.
retaining remnants of its days as one of the
only two major Hoyts locations in Tasmania.
Herein also as with many of the theatres
visited, the Wunderlich pressed steel ceiling,
wall, balcony and proscenium panels of
designs that probably covered their entire
product catalogue.
Invermay.
Following the success of his King’s Hall in
With the facade, upper foyer and dress circle Hobart, Mr Mareeno Lucas had the Princess
largely intact this purpose built art-deco Theatre constructed to his own design.
theatre still dominates the Invermay Road.
As at the opening date of Wednesday 30
th
The building now operates as a St.Vinnies August, 1911, Mr Lucas ran moving-picture
thrift store, a fact not lost on a number of entertainments, accompanied by a full
our lady members who emerged arms laden, orchestra until the stage construction was
having purchased a variety of “treasures”. completed several weeks later.

Majestic

Other former theatre sites nearby were
checked out. The former Lyceum with
its opera house facade, followed by the
basement Tatler (Cinema One) now a
shopfront, its former use only recognisable
by the verandah lighting fixtures.

Princess. Lyceum.

CINEM AREC ORD 2012 37