Page 20 - CINEMARECORD-96

Gulgong’s Prince of Wales Opera House

Keith & Judith Gulliver

he town of Gulgong (pop: 2400) is a
T19th-century gold rush town located in
the Central Tablelands of NSW, some
300 km north west of Sydney. The town
became famous when it was depicted with
poet Henry Lawson on the first ten dollar
note issued following Australia’s conversion
for decimal currency in 1966.

The Prince of Wales Opera House occupies
a site on Mayne Street and, like many
buildings in Gulgong, has a long history. It
began as a music hall, built from bush timber
and bark, in 1871. Before long a large weatherboard theatre was
built, named the Prince of Wales Opera
The riches of House.
t h e
goldfields Those times were captured by Henry
allowed an Lawson, whose first visit to any theatre was
e a r l y to see The Pirates of Penzance at the Prince
impresario to of Wales Opera House.
engage some
of the most In his poem, The Last Review, Lawson
f a m o u s recalled, “Rough-built theatres and stages
performers where the world's best actors trod – Singers
of the era, bringing reckless rovers nearer boyhood,
and to home and God; Paid in laughter, tears and
employ an nuggets in the play that fortune plays – 'Tis
experienced the palmy days of Gulgong – Gulgong in the
manager. Roaring Days.”

Miss Josephine (Joey) Cougenhein managed When the gold rush ended, Gulgong’s much
the theatre from mid 1871. The theatre was smaller community made good use of the
well patronised from 1871 – 1876. Opera House. As early as 1881, the Gulgong
Amateur Dramatic Club
Below: The facade of the original weather board building
presented music and
drama and, through the
first half of the 20 th
Century, the theatre was
used as a cinema,
renamed the Roxy. The
first silent movies
having been screened at
the Opera House in
1908.

During those years the
building was
reconstructed in brick,
while retaining –
remarkably – the iron
roof which had covered
the weatherboard
structure.

20 CINEMARECORD # 97