Page 35 - CinemaRecord #87

On very hot nights, after sundown, they would
open all the exit doors, including the stage
doors behind the screen, to try and catch the
sea breeze. As the theatre was perched on a
cliff, the lights of ships coming through the
heads could be seen through the screen. One
night a brand new liner of the time, the Oriana,
went through lit up like Luna Park and it nearly
caused a stampede as people rushed outside to
see what it was.

When CinemaScope arrived in the 1950's, the
Lonsdale received a minor facelift. A new,
very basic foyer with a concrete floor complete
with a film of sand and a small Candy Bar at
one end, was built across the front of the
building. One mistake they made was to
position the new front door directly in line with
the auditorium entrance doors. As the building
faced precisely west, the setting sun shone Main Street Point Lonsdale c.1940. The Lonsdale Hall can be seen on the right of the picture
straight onto the screen whenever both doors
were open. It didn't seem to bother anyone around us, but I hated what it was doing to the lighting dimmers, and there was a huge crowd
though. Except me, of course. picture theatres. A local shopkeeper reopened waiting to buy tickets for the double bill James
the Lonsdale a couple of years later, but it had Bond program. It was like a picture theatre
The big surprise was waiting for me inside. regressed to its earlier format of no dimmers lover’s version of a Judy Garland/Mickey
Motorised gold brocade curtains had appeared or curtains and a floating screen with rounded Rooney movie. It was so busy that they
on the stage with a string of multi-coloured corners. I think it only lasted one season. sheepishly asked if I would mind doing a
globes lighting them from above, and there second screening. I agreed of course, and they
were now dimmers on all the lighting and Sometime in the seventies, some enterprising sold it out again.
motorised black masking on the new acquaintances opened the theatres at
CinemaScope screen. Unfortunately, the Queenscliff, Ocean Grove and Point Lonsdale After an absence of many years I returned to
screen was positioned right at the back of the during the holiday period under the name Point Lonsdale and was pleased to find the
stage which was hung with royal blue wing Coastline Cinemas. They didn't know of my town almost unchanged, but sadly the theatre
and border curtains, producing a tunnel effect connection with Point Lonsdale, and one day was not there. Apparently someone had lit a
which severely reduced the impact of the wide asked if I could possibly go down there to run barbecue fire at the rear of the building one
picture. We always sat in the front row so we a Sunday night session as they were short one night in 1973 and didn't put it out properly.
got the maximum effect. projectionist and it was going to be busy. Sometime during the night the flames flared
COULD I? (Have I mentioned that I had up and set fire to the stage. By the time the fire
One Christmas holiday in the late fifties was become a projectionist?) could be seen from the street it was too late.
somewhat spoiled when I discovered that the The theatre was totally destroyed. There are
Lonsdale had closed and been stripped of all It was a two hour drive from my house in now electric barbecues on the site. ê
of its fittings. The dreaded television had Melbourne but I did it willingly. I arrived early
arrived. I must confess that we had a television to find that the theatre had been refitted with
set in our tent, which attracted all the campers stage curtains, black screen masking and Acknowledgments:

After 1973 fire, exhibitor Harry Davidson can be seen on the bio ladder inspecting the remains of the Geelong Advertiser
projection room. Image: Geelong Advertiser 1973 Queenscliff Pilot
Ron Hodgetts
Images supplied by:

Queenscliff Historical Society
Ron Hodgetts

CINEMARECORD # 87 35