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Keith Upton in the Civic bio-box. Keith in his beloved Civic in 1993.

The Civic was refurbished in 1973 and again With the Glen Drive-In attracting a different
in 1993 when half of the canvas sling seats audience than the new Gladstone Cinemas,
were replaced with fixed lounge chairs, all Keith and Nola Upton soldiered on showing
carpets were replaced and the theatre was movies under the stars every weekend – with
repainted in its original colours. additional nights during holiday periods.
A Dolby Digital sound system was also However with retirement in mind, Keith
installed (replacing a Western Electric system), started looking to sell the business. Sadly
with the facility to manually override the the value of the land upon which the drive-in
sound level from the auditorium. The seating was built made it an unviable proposition for
capacity was also reduced to 560. any new operator, and so the Glen closed and
the land sold in 2005. In 2007 the screen was
Over the years Keith Upton had the ability to removed and the land cleared for a housing Keith and Nola Upton.
repair, build and install equipment. The last development.
projectors at the Civic included two Universal In his mid-eighties, yet only his seventh year
bases, one fitted with a Simplex Head and the It was the end of an era for movie-goers, and of retirement, Keith Upton passed away in
other with a C&W head. A third projector had also for the Upton family who had provided 2012. His long-empty and sadly dilapidated
been built up from a C&W head. local movie entertainment for 70 years. Civic Theatre was demolished in February
2013 and today the site is empty.
Competition eventually came to town in The continued popularity of cinema-going
2001 when a disused squash-courts complex was shown in 2006 when Gladstone Cinemas The iconic, vertical “cinema” sign from the
in the Hixon Street industrial estate at shifted operations to their new home – the façade of the old Civic, as well as a few other
South Gladstone was converted into the purpose-built, seven-screen Gladstone cinematic relics have been saved for display in
four-screen Gladstone Cinemas. With the Cinemas Complex on the rooftop of the a new Hogs Breath Cafe in a nearby shopping
latest technology and comfortable, modern Gladstone Central Shopping Centre on the centre – a small memento of a historic past,
surroundings, this new arrival was also able to Dawson Highway. gone but not forgotten.
obtain a greater percentage of the newest film
releases. Civic Demolition. 2013.

Squash courts converted into cinemas.
The Uptons countered with a variety of The new purpose-built cinemas
in 2013.
marketing ploys to retain patronage, however
the Civic was showing its age, and starved of
content, the doors were reluctantly closed in Resources and Additional information: The
Gladstone Observer Newspaper; Queensland
July 2001. The building would remain dark Heritage Register; Gerry Kennedy; Kevin Adams and
and unused for the next twelve years – its transcripts of interviews with Mr Keith Upton by
sale hindered by a restrictive Heritage listing, Paulette Flint and the Gladstone Observer.
which was eventually removed after much Photographs: From the collections of: Mr Keith
campaigning by the owner who had no choice Upton; Paulette Flint; Kevin Adams; Glen Maryon;
but to pay high rates on a building that whilst Gordon Jones; Val Gill; Frank Jerkic; Mike Trickett;
much loved, was ultimately unusable due to Cinema 6 of the Gladstone Cinemas Complex. Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum Picture
asbestos and a white ant infestation. Collection and others.

CINEM AREC ORD 2013 33