Page 10 - CinemaRecord #77C

he Queensland city of Bundaberg is located 385 kilometres north of the state capital of Brisbane and 15 kilometres
Tinland from the coast. The settlement was surveyed in 1870 and by 1881 had been gazetted as a municipality. It grew
rapidly into a town by 1902 and a city by 1913.

Famous for its sugar-cane industry and as the home of Bundaberg Rum, over the years this bustling city has been served by a
number of movie venues, but one of its biggest and most memorable was the long-serving Paramount Theatre.

The Paramount was situated on the Jubilee Picture Gardens Birch and Carrol
northern side of Bourbong Street between During 1910, it was sometimes used as In early November 1911 it was announced
Tantitha and Walla Streets and operated as picture-theatre, as the Bundaberg Daily that the firm Birch and Carrol, who had
a picture-theatre from 1911 to 1965. Over News on 17 August 1911 mentions: “The been showing their pictures in the Queen’s
its life, the theatre had several operators Jubilee Picture Gardens, so popular Theatre under the management of Mr R.
and incarnations but was owned from last year, will reopen on Saturday next Naumann, would no longer show movies
1927-1965 by local identity, ‘Mr Motion under the direction of Mr. S. Fowler, in that venue.
Pictures’, Doug Rattray. the manager being the popular Roy R.
Bosisto, who held the same position last On Saturday 3 November, bad weather
Pre-Theatre year. meant the pictures couldn’t be shown
Before the land housed a theatre in any in the open-air Jubilee Theatre, and
form, it was the site of the Church of A full programme was planned for tickets were given out by management
England Rectory built in 1876 – the Church opening night on 19 August 1911, for any performance during the
itself was in Quay Street at the time. By with at least 11 pictures to be shown, upcoming week.
1910 it was the site of the open-air Jubilee as well as a ‘documentary’ of the local
Skating Rink - built by Mr John Fleming sugar strike. The ‘documentary’ was On 6 November 1911 advertisements
(or a consortium including Mr Fleming) filmed in Bundaberg and Childers for the Jubilee Picture Gardens were
owner of the Bundaberg Gasworks. especially for Fowler’s Pictures! still advertising ‘Fowler’s Pictures’.

Boxing match open-air Paramount in 1926.

10 2013 CINEM AREC ORD