Page 16 - CinemaRecord #76C

n the far-off days of the 1920s, the world
Ihad discovered an unquenchionable thirst
for the magic of “the flickers”. Even the
smallest rural farming hamlet wanted their
own picture-show!
The Wattle Theatre at the small railway
town of Koo-Wee-Rup (Victoria) was one of
the numerous venues built for this purpose The stage measured 25ft by 18ft and featured
during the Australia-wide boom in cinema a simple “picture-frame” proscenium with
construction in this era. Memorial Hall during floods. plaster panels decorated with a gum-nut and
wattle motif.
Nearby, the Garfield Picture Theatre and
King’s Picture Theatre at Pakenham were It opened with a Grand Ball on July 18, Progressive for a small-town theatre, the
also constructed at this time and Colvin’s 1927 and the first picture-program shown projection room located above the rear stalls,
had been showing films at the Memorial was The Big Parade. was the equipped with two projectors for
Hall since 1922. Built in 1912, this hall was continuous and un-interrupted screenings of
demolished in 2002 - its centenary year. A small central entrance vestibule was feature films.
flanked by two let-able lock-up shops.
Koo-Wee-Rup’s own Wattle Theatre was The single-level auditorium was some Quickly becoming the social centre of the
built for James Mortimer by E. Whiteside 66ft long and 40ft wide. Seating for 500 small rural community, the Wattle hosted
at 284 Rossiter Road. Handy to the railway patrons was fixed to moveable wooden not only the movies but other activities, such
station for the despatch of films – and home- batons so that they could be slid out of the as boxing matches, athletic displays, public
wood bound patrons alike! way to allow for dancing. meetings, balls and many dances.

Wattle Theatre in the late 1920s. The man in the white shirt is Henry James (Hal) Smith, who managed
the theatre around this time. It has been suggested that the other gentleman is the Mayor.

16 2012 CINEM AREC ORD