Page 38 - CR

National.

Our next Launceston stop was at the former
National Theatre - now a printery. Our host
provided us each with a printed history of the
building as we toured this almost complete
live theatre. Once again, Wunderlich pressed
steel panels of art-nouveau motifs formed the National.
proscenium arch and balcony decoration.
The theatre was built along the lines of the
intimate Scala Comedy Theatre in London,
and opened in September, 1915 with the play
later made into a film, The Silence of Dean
Maitland (1914 &1934).

Ray Peck was able to provide first hand
information of many of the shows presented
here and when it was used as a cinema while
the Launceston Plaza was being remodelled
in the 1930’s. Sadly the opulent Plaza was
demolished many moons ago.

Our last theatre complex visited was the
Village Centre where Fred Archer gave us
a tour of the bio-boxes progressively being
converted to digital projection.

We celebrated our last night in
Tasmania with an excellent dinner at the
accommodation restaurant.
National.

Tasmania, the smallest of the Australian
states has produced some of the most Special thanks to Mike Trickett supported by Barb
remarkable people and remarkable Trickett for all the work in organising the trip and
inventions of our cinema history. Sincere also to Mike, Jim Barrand and Gerry Kennedy for
thanks to all of our hosts at the various driving the buses through a variety of terrain and
theatre locations whom without exception extreme weather conditions. Well done!
welcomed us warmly and so readily
gave of their time. H Photographs by Mike Trickett and Ross King.

Launceston.

The morning of our final day was a tour to
the Cataract Gorge and Cliff Grounds, a few
minutes drive from the city centre. It was here
in 1909/10 that Frank Thring (Sen) ran his
World’s Pictures open-air show, complete
with a full military band. Soon after in 1911
he ventured to Melbourne where during
the following twenty five years he made
such a giant impact on Australian cinema,
theatre and radio.
All too soon we were again at Launceston
airport awaiting our return flight to Melbourne
and the end of our Tasmanian odyssey.

38 2012 CINEM AREC ORD