Page 11 - CinemaRecord #85

“At the Victoria Theatre, Tarnagulla” By Ross King

arnagulla, is a small gold-rush township The following is a report from the long defunct
Tsituated approximately 45 km west of Tarnagulla and Llanelly Courier of Saturday,
Bendigo (Victoria). With many of its early June 7th, 1902:
buildings now coming under a Heritage Overlay,
the township and its buildings are often featured Gas Explosion at the Victoria Theatre!
as photographic backdrops and essays.
Fitzgerald's Cinematograph blows up.
Perhaps the most notable building is the former Many in the hall were cut about the face and
Victoria Theatre and Hotel, one of a few but A Number of people injured. badly bruised; several women went into
best such examples of a gold-rush era hotel and None seriously hysterics; and the cries of parents searching
theatre remaining externally intact anywhere in for their children were heart-rending.
Australia. The Gasometer Blows to Pieces
The fire-bell was rung, and the engine was
Bricks flying in all directions
Although the hotel was de-licensed in 1916, the quickly on the spot, but fortunately the services
combined theatre and the hotel were purchased Many wonderful escapes of the firemen were not required.
by the local community in 1922 for use as a
community hall and remains as such to this day. Accident caused by defective tubing. Some idea of the force of the explosion may be
gathered from the fact some of the bricks on
From its construction in 1862, for George "Shortly after nine-o’clock the people of the gasometer were driven through the
Barlow, the theatre has been used by both local Tarnagulla were disturbed by a loud report, which weatherboard ceiling of the building and the
and touring theatrical groups. In 1871 Lola sounded at a distance like a shot from a canon, gasometer itself was torn to pieces.
Montez performed her infamous Spider Dance and this almost immediately was followed by
there, and from the early days of the twentieth women and children screaming. The proprietor of the machine had foolishly
century, the Victoria Theatre hosted many tied the side escape door and this had to be
touring picture-show men. It was quickly discovered that a gas explosion had burst open. Many old ladies and children made
occurred in the Victoria Theatre where an their escape through the windows and numbers
Before the advent of a reticulated or a locally entertainment was being given by Fitzgerald's are suffering from shock. Doctor Donovan who
was present attended to those who were hurt.
generated electricity supply, illumination in Cinematograph and Bioscope Company. The Hall
Tarnagulla was from oil lamps. As was the way, was crowded at the time.
On enquiry later we were pleased to learn that
outside of the major cities and towns, visiting none of the injuries sustained were dangerous.
picture-showmen could only utilise limelight for The machine would not work properly, and the We notice by the Press that Fitzgerald's
tubing commencing to leak. The proprietor struck
the purposes of projecting film and lantern Cinematograph had an accident at Pyramid
slides. a match to ascertain where the gas was escaping,
and needless for us to say - the spot was quickly
discovered!
In CR Issue 45 is a detailed explanation on the
operation of limelight, however a brief recount The gas from the damaged tube flared up and there
follows: Limelight was produced by playing an was a stampede amongst the audience.
intense flame upon a cylinder of lime, the heat
raising a spot of lime to brilliant incandescence. Directly after, the gasometer exploded with a loud
The three elements required to produce limelight report. It was weighted down with bricks and these
were, Lime, Gas and Oxygen. were thrown about in all directions. A number of
people were struck by flying missiles.
The gas principally used was acetylene; however
hydrogen, ether and petrol were also used. This As soon as the explosion occurred everything was
when mixed with oxygen if not properly plunged into total darkness, and people became
regulated could be a quite explosive panic stricken and rushed from the doors. In the
combination, not to mention the highly rush a number of women were knocked down and
flammable nitrate based motion picture film in trampled upon, and how they escaped serious
use at the time. injury is a miracle.
Hill about a fortnight ago, when tubing burst,
in a similar manner, and a number of people
injured, fortunately in this case, none seriously.
We think it will be many years before
cinematograph entertainment will draw such
a crowded house in Tarnagulla again".
Events such as the foregoing both here and
overseas, eventually lead to stringent
regulations in regard to public health and
safety in the projection of motion pictures.

The historic Victoria Theatre and Hotel
were extensively restored in 2004-05 thus
preserving for future generations a theatre
of the Colony of Victoria. H

Images from the collections of Ross King and
Kevin Adams.

CINEMARECORD # 85 11