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The Burdekin Theatre in Queen Street. Image: Mike Trickett 2017
The Gem Theatre, now residential. Image: Mike Trickett 2017
Famous Australian golfer, Karrie Webb, purchased the building and set
replaced with Westrex 14" lamp houses (all from the Delta). The Tropix about converting the premises into the current attractive twin cinema.
closed on 15 December 1962, screening Tammy Tell Me True and Key Her parents, Rob and Evelyn Webb operate the theatre.
Witness.
The Stanley Brothers built the Gem Theatre, at
40 Gibson St, East Ayr. This was a simple metal
construction, possibly an example of one of the
prefabricated theatres of the day. The Gem opened
with Broken Arrow and Duel on the Mississippi 20
December 1957. It was equipped with C&W
projectors, Hi Lite lamp houses and RCA sound.

The single floored auditorium included a stage area,
which was used for live shows such as a Winifred
Atwell tour. The theatre screened six nights and a
matinee; however this was quickly cut back to two
nights with the arrival of television in the area. The
Gem closed with Rio Bravo on 27 August 1973.

The Frazers had purchased land for a drive-in theatre
on Rossiters Hill (outer Ayr) but did not proceed with
the development. Reg Hunt, a Brisbane drive-in
owner, purchased the site from the Frazers and constructed the Stardust The Architect for the modernisation was Asa Suten and the builder was
Drive in. It was equipped with water cooled Kalee 19 projectors. BTH Webbco (Robert Webb). The finished product won an architectural
arcs were used initially, but were later replaced with Ashcraft arcs from award.
the Metro Theatre in Brisbane.
Upon entering the foyer, one is impressed by its shape and colour
scheme. The ticket box and candy counter are straight ahead and toilet
areas to the right. Management offices, storeroom and access stairs to
the projection suite are behind the ticket/candy counter.
The two cinemas are built at right angles to the former auditorium and
are of steep stadium style. The auditoria each seat 170, with one
furnished in blue tones and the other in maroon.
The Delta Twin opened on 15 December 2000. At that time, like many
of the Queensland independent exhibitors, the Webbs operated a multi
sessional, seven days a week policy during school holidays.

The original building plan included a third screen to be built in parallel,
but outside the original auditorium. ★
The Stardust opened on 9 September 1964 with West Frontier and
Battle of the Sexes. The drive in generally screened four nights per week.
The Birch Carroll & Coyle (BCC) organization purchased the theatre This article was researched by the late Gerry Kennedy circa 2010,
and increased screening to six nights per week. BCC later leased the completion and updating by the editors.
theatre to the Stanley Brothers. A walk in section was later constructed
when the hardtops closed, so the theatre became both a drive in and a Credits:
hardtop. The hardtop section is no longer used. The drive in is currently
run by Frank Jerkic. “When Saturday Night was Movie Night” by Bill Lawson printed (undated) in the
local newspaper “The Advocate”.
Films were screened in the local performing arts centre, called the
Burdekin Theatre prior to the reopening of the Delta Cinema. Mrs Evelyn Webb - Interview.

After closing in 1961, the Delta building had various uses such as a Images:
nightclub and retail, but for long periods of time the former theatre lay CATHS Archive
Mike Trickett
dormant and derelict.

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