The local drive in is almost a thing of the past,with very few left in Oz,and it looks like another one will have to close if the none for profit drive in group in Coober Pedy cannot raise $120.00 by the end of the year, to replace the 50 year old 35mil film projector.If this iconic drive in closes it will only leave one left in rural SA.
I remember going there years ago, and on the screen before the picture started it had a sign that said ... NO EXPLOSIVES ALLOWED. That was how casual they were up there regarding where they took their Explosives or even their guns.
A visit to the local cemetery up there can give you a good insight to the character and personality of the people who live and work there.
milo said
07:15 AM Jul 10, 2013
I remember going to the bass hill drive in in sydney when i was a kid,unfortunately that's gone...
Duh said
08:21 AM Jul 10, 2013
The Kingsway in the northern subs of Perth is still operating Herbie, although I haven't been to it for a long time.
Love the beer barrel headstone at Coober Pedy cemetery.
Duh said
12:16 PM Jul 10, 2013
The main one I went to was the Metro Drive in at Innaloo. It had a lot of ridges where you parked your car so your car could be raised a the front towards the screen, and of course the old hook on the window speakers (at lot of those got damaged from people forgetting them and driving off). They also had a few rows of canvas deck chair style seats in front of the projection box if you wanted to sit outside and a shop to buy food and drinks etc at the back. This would get packed in intermission (you got two movies in those days) so it was best to go quickly while the movie was on.
As kids, we would climb and jump the back cyclone fence which was topped by barbed wire and found the best place to do was directly under the screen as it was dark in that spot, then walk directly to the first line of cars and zig zag to the canvas seats to watch the movie.
We never ever got caught. Once a fat boy with us got his crotch caught on the barbed wire and we had a hell of a time getting him off. Later the drive in was closed and sat vacant for a few years, then it was bought by Greater Union Cinemas, they built a complex (Greater Union/Event Cinema's now) there, removed the speakers and levelled the humps and made the remainder into a carpark.
A very popular place now with Sizzlers and other food outlets and coffee spots etc, on the opposite side of the road to the Innaloo Shopping Complex.
-- Edited by Duh on Wednesday 10th of July 2013 12:17:23 PM
biggles said
01:32 PM Jul 10, 2013
Good ol' days eh !
I remember the old Marion Drive-in Theatre south of Adelaide. When Mum found out a group of us with our 'chicks' used to frequent the place, she took away my motorbike key .. dammit .. !!
Jon
Dougwe said
03:36 PM Jul 10, 2013
Now this topic is a trip down memory lane for sure.
When I was 12 I got a small part time job in the local cinema, that lasted 13 years. I must say, probably the best job I have had and that's not many. Probably the reason I still love movies. There was also a Drive-in about 15 mins away and I was called on many times to help out there. They were both Hoyts.
During my time with Hoyts I turned 18 and as you do, got a car. Those days cinemas and drive-ins only showed a movie for a week, occasionally they might go two. The memory lane bit is, I remember many times that only one copy would arrive between the cinema and the Drive-in so I was called on to wait for the first two reels to run through the projector then put them in my car and drive the 15 mins to the drive-in so they could start screening. One time I broke down during the second run and by the time I got going was 10 mins late getting back to the drive-in so they were all waiting for the movie to continue, as I came in I got cheered, anyone would think I was the star of the movie arriving. Oh, the movie was the Beetles 'Help' and was on for two weeks. We never got a second copy so had to that for two weeks. All great fun though.
shekon said
04:55 PM Jul 10, 2013
Oh yes the local drive in, now it is a housing estate. The drive in was a Friday night treat as a small child, I remember mum and dad buying fish and chips and off we would go. We played at the playground more than watching the film without fear or constant supervision. Teenage years there were car filled to brim with giggles and wandering eyes to see who else was around, and the to Darwin, where it was an event in itself, where everybody sat outside and wonderful picnics. It is a shame that they are so few and far between these days.
Good fun memories of times past when life was so much simpler.
Yep, I remember the drive in at Bass Hill, and also the one at Chullora. I was a regular on Saturday nights at the Lismore drive in as well - saw The Love Bug there. These days, people rent movies and stay home - or subscribe to pay TV. The days of drive ins are long gone, I'm afraid.
Delta18 said
11:32 PM Jul 10, 2013
Surely it would not be hard for a group in Coober Pedy to raise $120 for a good cause. Pretty cheap projector I reckon.
I couldn't imagine a better place for 'drives' than Coober Pedy, clear nights under the stars, perfect.
Unfortunately the demand for land meant that 'drives' couldn't survive in suburbia, worse luck.
years ago I went to the drive in and saw two movies. one was jaws - the beach has never been the same since. the other was "Percy". For the life of me I could not work out what he had lost. Those of you who remember that movie will have a laugh at that.
Dougwe said
02:37 AM Jul 11, 2013
When last in the areas Dromana on the the Mornington Peninsula Victoria have one as does Dandenong Victoria and Coburg Victoria. Remember I said when I was last in the areas so please don't shoot me at dawn if wrong.
The dog lady said
04:54 AM Jul 11, 2013
Did you guys all go to the drive in to watch a movie? Come on, be honest, your mum's not listening in!!
Duh said
05:10 AM Jul 11, 2013
The dog lady wrote:
Did you guys all go to the drive in to watch a movie? Come on, be honest, your mum's not listening in!!
Ummmm......most of the time, there were moments when my windscreen fogged up now and then though! So what about you girls?
Took two to Tango! LOL
herbie said
05:56 AM Jul 11, 2013
Some times I had to go back the next week end to see how the movie ended .!!!..Oh memories .
Dougwe said
03:45 PM Jul 11, 2013
Bummer, I had to work there. It was probably me that kept banging on the side of your car telling you to keep the noise down. You would know me as I had the white overalls and little red beret (Spelling) on.
Gerty Dancer said
03:53 PM Jul 11, 2013
At Port Moresby drive-in we learned how it should be done in the tropics. Nobody stayed in their hot cars, everybody bought their folding chairs and sat in front of their cars with the speaker on the bonnet, and maybe an esky beside them. Its a great way to see a movie on a warm night and we did it this way when we returned to Oz causing much consternation among fellow drive-in patrons.
Dougwe said
04:39 PM Jul 11, 2013
Panel Vans were great at the drive-in, just reverse in, open up the back, lay back and enjoy. The movie of course, what did you think I meant?
milo said
09:09 PM Jul 11, 2013
i remember going with my brother in his old panel van , great fun!!
bill12 said
09:19 PM Jul 11, 2013
We had one out at Stuart, Townsville , back when I was in the Army. I had a V8 Falcon"shaggin wagon"With murals onethe side. Open the back, and"watch the movie"with the girlfriend, who I ended up marrying, a mistake. Closed now. Also , we still have open air movies at the sports and req club at Horsehoe bay on Magnetic island, at times. Great for the kids. Bill
herbie said
11:31 PM Jul 11, 2013
Over in Gero in WA they have come up with a beaut initiative,to over come not having the drive in any more.
Ever few weeks during the summer some group runs a movie night from on the foreshore next to the café and uses the side wall of café to use as a screen.We have been to few of the movie nights there and it is a beaut night, no vehicle to sit in just deck chairs or a blanket on the lawn .
And if you get bored, you always have to Harbour to look out on.
Kaid said
11:59 PM Jul 11, 2013
I think there is still one at Yatala just south of
Beenleigh Qld
capricorn and pisces said
01:28 AM Jul 12, 2013
Hey I remember the drive in at Chullora too! cheer Capricorn
hako said
01:59 AM Jul 12, 2013
capricorn and pisces wrote:
Hey I remember the drive in at Chullora too! cheer Capricorn
Chullora was the twin drive-ins. Also there was the "El Rancho" out towards Fairfield I think - the staff dressed as cowboys with sixguns strapped on etc.
Wombat 280 said
03:13 AM Jul 12, 2013
hako wrote:
capricorn and pisces wrote:
Hey I remember the drive in at Chullora too! cheer Capricorn
Chullora was the twin drive-ins. Also there was the "El Rancho" out towards Fairfield I think - the staff dressed as cowboys with sixguns strapped on etc.
I think my first child was conceived at the ElRancho. Your right about the staff uniform . The best Drive In was in Darwin at Bagot next the the relo's reserve, sitting in the back of the ute on a deck chair and an esky. During Cyclone Tracy the center panels blew out and when we got the movie running on our first day off in weeks, Yep you got the actors heads were missing. Next day I and a group of other the supper fit guys scaled up the screen and replace the tin with a canvas sheet, made such a difference to our viewing pleasure . Few days latter they found the original panels down the track about 15 k's and put them back inplace
Tomzys said
03:36 AM Jul 12, 2013
Best entertainment going back in the sixtys we use to sayDont go a knocking if the Beatles a rocking (vw) little sister loved being chaperone,sit in the cafeteria ice creams and chips when she turned17she relised why she was given so many ice creams.
The dog lady said
04:53 AM Jul 12, 2013
Duh wrote:
The dog lady wrote:
Did you guys all go to the drive in to watch a movie? Come on, be honest, your mum's not listening in!!
Ummmm......most of the time, there were moments when my windscreen fogged up now and then though! So what about you girls?
Took two to Tango! LOL
The "guys" was meant as a generic to include both genders
The local drive in is almost a thing of the past,with very few left in Oz,and it looks like another one will have to close if the none for profit drive in group in Coober Pedy cannot raise $120.00 by the end of the year, to replace the 50 year old 35mil film projector.If this iconic drive in closes it will only leave one left in rural SA.
I remember going there years ago, and on the screen before the picture started it had a sign that said ... NO EXPLOSIVES ALLOWED. That was how casual they were up there regarding where they took their Explosives or even their guns.
A visit to the local cemetery up there can give you a good insight to the character and personality of the people who live and work there.
Love the beer barrel headstone at Coober Pedy cemetery.
The main one I went to was the Metro Drive in at Innaloo. It had a lot of ridges where you parked your car so your car could be raised a the front towards the screen, and of course the old hook on the window speakers (at lot of those got damaged from people forgetting them and driving off). They also had a few rows of canvas deck chair style seats in front of the projection box if you wanted to sit outside and a shop to buy food and drinks etc at the back. This would get packed in intermission (you got two movies in those days) so it was best to go quickly while the movie was on.
As kids, we would climb and jump the back cyclone fence which was topped by barbed wire and found the best place to do was directly under the screen as it was dark in that spot, then walk directly to the first line of cars and zig zag to the canvas seats to watch the movie.
We never ever got caught. Once a fat boy with us got his crotch caught on the barbed wire and we had a hell of a time getting him off. Later the drive in was closed and sat vacant for a few years, then it was bought by Greater Union Cinemas, they built a complex (Greater Union/Event Cinema's now) there, removed the speakers and levelled the humps and made the remainder into a carpark.
A very popular place now with Sizzlers and other food outlets and coffee spots etc, on the opposite side of the road to the Innaloo Shopping Complex.
-- Edited by Duh on Wednesday 10th of July 2013 12:17:23 PM
Good ol' days eh !
I remember the old Marion Drive-in Theatre south of Adelaide. When Mum found out a group of us with our 'chicks' used to frequent the place, she took away my motorbike key .. dammit .. !!
Jon
When I was 12 I got a small part time job in the local cinema, that lasted 13 years. I must say, probably the best job I have had and that's not many. Probably the reason I still love movies. There was also a Drive-in about 15 mins away and I was called on many times to help out there. They were both Hoyts.
During my time with Hoyts I turned 18 and as you do, got a car. Those days cinemas and drive-ins only showed a movie for a week, occasionally they might go two. The memory lane bit is, I remember many times that only one copy would arrive between the cinema and the Drive-in so I was called on to wait for the first two reels to run through the projector then put them in my car and drive the 15 mins to the drive-in so they could start screening. One time I broke down during the second run and by the time I got going was 10 mins late getting back to the drive-in so they were all waiting for the movie to continue, as I came in I got cheered, anyone would think I was the star of the movie arriving. Oh, the movie was the Beetles 'Help' and was on for two weeks. We never got a second copy so had to that for two weeks. All great fun though.
Oh yes the local drive in, now it is a housing estate. The drive in was a Friday night treat as a small child, I remember mum and dad buying fish and chips and off we would go. We played at the playground more than watching the film without fear or constant supervision. Teenage years there were car filled to brim with giggles and wandering eyes to see who else was around, and the to Darwin, where it was an event in itself, where everybody sat outside and wonderful picnics. It is a shame that they are so few and far between these days.
Good fun memories of times past when life was so much simpler.
There is still one in the Hunter Valley - www.drive-in.com.au
Its at Heddon-Greta (between Maitland and Kurri Kurri) and its motto is "If you don't like the movie, slash the seats"
$30 per car - up to 8 people
The Lone Ranger is on this week!
-- Edited by Rip and Rosie on Wednesday 10th of July 2013 05:27:40 PM
Found this, which some one might find interesting www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian.htm
There are photos for a few, not Coober Pedy though.
Of the 51 drive-ins they know about in NSW, only 4 are still open.
-- Edited by Rip and Rosie on Wednesday 10th of July 2013 05:37:30 PM
Surely it would not be hard for a group in Coober Pedy to raise $120 for a good cause. Pretty cheap projector I reckon.
I couldn't imagine a better place for 'drives' than Coober Pedy, clear nights under the stars, perfect.
Unfortunately the demand for land meant that 'drives' couldn't survive in suburbia, worse luck.
Cheers Neil
Apologies for the early post of mine saying it was the Kingsley Drive In, that is the Perth suburb but it is called the Galaxy Drive In, see;
http://galaxydrivein.com.au/
years ago I went to the drive in and saw two movies. one was jaws - the beach has never been the same since. the other was "Percy". For the life of me I could not work out what he had lost. Those of you who remember that movie will have a laugh at that.
Ummmm......most of the time, there were moments when my windscreen fogged up now and then though! So what about you girls?
Took two to Tango! LOL
Some times I had to go back the next week end to see how the movie ended .!!!..Oh memories .
Over in Gero in WA they have come up with a beaut initiative,to over come not having the drive in any more.
Ever few weeks during the summer some group runs a movie night from on the foreshore next to the café and uses the side wall of café to use as a screen.We have been to few of the movie nights there and it is a beaut night, no vehicle to sit in just deck chairs or a blanket on the lawn .
And if you get bored, you always have to Harbour to look out on.
Beenleigh Qld
Chullora was the twin drive-ins. Also there was the "El Rancho" out towards Fairfield I think - the staff dressed as cowboys with sixguns strapped on etc.
I think my first child was conceived at the ElRancho. Your right about the staff uniform . The best Drive In was in Darwin at Bagot next the the relo's reserve, sitting in the back of the ute on a deck chair and an esky. During Cyclone Tracy the center panels blew out and when we got the movie running on our first day off in weeks, Yep you got the actors heads were missing. Next day I and a group of other the supper fit guys scaled up the screen and replace the tin with a canvas sheet, made such a difference to our viewing pleasure . Few days latter they found the original panels down the track about 15 k's and put them back inplace
The "guys" was meant as a generic to include both genders