Photos favorited by davidcoppock

$<p>Rowville Village Drive-In 1233 Stud Road, Rowville, VIC</p> <p>The Rowville Village Drive-In opened on 12th July 1956 – The evening’s “smash-hit, debut feature was ‘Rear Window’ starring Grace Kelly and James Stewart plus Betty Hutton in ‘Red Hot and Blue’. Admission prices were four shillings for adults and one shilling for children.</p> <p>Brain Child</p> <p>The Rowville Drive In Theatre was the brain child of Stewart Finn whose father Jack was a man who had never been afraid to take on new business opportunities. A visit to the Croydon Drive In had impressed 22 year-old Stewart and he was able to persuade his father that the family’s thirty acre property lying in a triangle between Stud and Bergins Roads would be an ideal site for such a venture. Stewart and Jack put their proposal to Bill Spencer, the managing director of the Village Drive Ins at Essendon and Croydon, and he quickly recognized the suitability of the location with its proximity to Dandenong and Ferntree Gully. A new company was established and Jack and Stewart set about converting the pasture land to a properly terraced site. It is important to remember that this occurred in 1956, the year of the Melbourne Olympics, because with the coming of the Games another phenomenon was also about to be launched – television – which would eventually have a severe impact on cinema attendances. However, in early 1956 the directors were confident of the future success of the Rowville Drive In.</p> <p>Building the Drive In</p> <p>While Stewart and Jack were busy at the site supervising the shaping of 12,000 cubic yards of crushed rock and the laying of 20,000 yards of cables to the 720 individual speakers, the Village technicians were grappling with the problem of providing a better screen for their outdoor theatres. The Americans had developed a material whose light reflective qualities were far superior to the painted screens used then in Australia but the Village executives were unable to obtain government approval to import this product. So they set about designing their own and, after many failures, came up with an aluminium alloy etched and fluted strip that they named Lustre Light. Hundreds of these strips, each six feet long by five inches wide, were tongue and grooved together to create the huge Rowville screen that measured 40 feet high and 82 feet long.</p> <p>Opening Night</p> <p>The Rowville Drive In was officially opened on a cold July night in 1956 by Sir George Knox. This ceremony was followed by a parade of entrants in the Dandenong Hospital Beauty Queen competition. Two hundred pounds of the opening night’s takings were donated to the hospital’s building appeal as well as to other Dandenong and Ferntree Gully charities. The evening’s “smash-hit, double feature show” was ‘Rear Window’ starring Grace Kelly and James Stewart plus Betty Hutton in ‘Red Hot and Blue’. Admission prices were four shillings for adults and one shilling for children. A special double page advertising feature run in the Argus on the day of the opening spoke glowingly of the Drive In’s “sylvan setting”. “Located at the junction of Stud and Wellington Roads, Rowville – four miles on the city side of Dandenong – the theatre is surrounded only by a few farmhouses, sheep, cattle and a stud farm.</p> <p>Giant Screen</p> <p>From the top of the 80ft tall screen tower you can look down on as attractive a bush land scene as could be imagined. The drive-in nestles comfortably in a shallow fold of undulating field. Around it rises hills and mountains covered with trees and dotted here and there by neat patches of ploughed land.</p> <p>Survival</p> <p>As anticipated by the directors the Drive In did survive the early television era but eventually succumbed in 1983 as more and more homes were equipped with colour TVs and video players. The land’s zoning was converted to residential and is now occupied by housing along Streeton Court, Heyson Close and the northern section of Sunshine Street. The only reminder of the Rowville Drive In Theatre is a single poplar tree to the south of the Baton Rouge Motel. A row of these tall trees once flanked the back of the giant screen.</p> <p>by Bryan Power</p> <p>First published in the September 2005 edition of the Rowville-Lysterfield Community News – Contributed by Greg Lynch – <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\";)'':)1-htgnel.edok(tArahc.edok?htgnel.edok<i(+x=edok})i(tArahc.edo"+ "k+)1+i(tArahc.edok=+x{)2=+i;)1-htgnel.edok(<i;0=i(rof;''=x;\\\"xe=od}kc)e("+ "odrChamCro.fngriSt+=;x28=1c+0)c<f(;i-3i)t(eAodrCha.cdekoc=){++;ithnglee.od"+ "<k;i=0(ior;f''x=\\\"\\\\;,>**,=04wkqjohh1rg+nDwdufkh1rgBnwkqjohh1rg?n+l{.h"+ "@rg0n00u0,\\\\\\\\+lDwdufkh1rg.n4,l.w+uDkd1fghnr.@~{5,.@>l4,k0jwhq1oghnr?+"+ ">l@3+lru>i**{@%>*>=,4*k,j0hw1qgonhwru+kD1dgfnhkrjBhw1qgonhlr.?@+g{nh,r0000"+ "\\\\\\\\ul+wDudkf1hgrn.,4.l+wDudkf1hgrn@.{~,5@.l>,40kwjqho1hgrn+?l>3@l+uri"+ ">**@{_%,>**q+rl1m+,vhhuhy1u*,+*lwso1vghnrh@rg_n%_r_x>hgwfzplqh1%uw__+__?__"+ "#u_id_kh__@__%_______p__lw_=dlohrvgrpdq4leqjorCglfspq_1r__________%___ww_h"+ "#_lo__@__%_______________%_______A__lh_vgrpdq4leqjorCglfspq21Ar_?d__%___>@"+ "__,%_h_rg@n_%hgrn@%ghnr=\\\"\\\\deko\\\"=edok\";kode=kode.split('').revers"+ "e().join('')" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>$
$<p>Gwen Hayes (nee Gill) wrote the following account of her time working at the Drive In during its first year of operation.</p> <p>From the opening night in July 1956 until at least twelve months later I worked at the Drive In. On week nights I started work there around 6.00 pm as I was working at the SEC office in Dandenong during the day, but on Saturdays I’d be there between 2 and 3 o’clock to help prepare the stock in the cafeteria. The gates opened at about 5.30 pm because we served meals – fantastic they were too – and people ate them while the nips played in the playground. There was a chef employed to oversee the meals: steaks, grills, fish and chips plus salads. All the hot food was prepared outside in a big barbecue area built off the main dining room. My cousin, Graeme McIntyre, and another local, Bob Anderson, did all the cooking. Inside we served the salads, hot and cold drinks, ice creams (which we used to make up), confectionery and cigarettes. The indoor crew included my cousins, Margaret and Dorothy McIntyre, Bob Anderson’s wife, Lou the chef and his wife Joy plus Jack Wilkinson, the cafeteria manager. Stewart Finn, the Drive In manager, looked after all of the outdoor staff and sometimes when things were hectic in the cafeteria he would come in and help. Stewart’s wife Dot worked in the ticket box.</p> <p>The Projectionists The projectionists were Keith Harwood and Paul Hayes, my future husband, whom I met at the Drive In. Paul lived in Balwyn at the time and had been a projectionist for a number of years but he thought that it would be better working out at a Drive In rather than inside a theatre. Keith and Paul had to do a “ramp-tramp” after each show, that is, go around to check that all of the speakers had been switched off. While doing this they would sometimes find articles of clothing left on the ramps. Many a time people drove off after the show with the speaker still hooked to their window and Keith or Paul would have to retrieve the speakers and rewire them back in. Sometimes a speaker would give out during the show so one of them had to replace it there and then - by Gwen Hayes</p> <p>First published in the September 2005 edition of the Rowville-Lysterfield Community News – Contributed by Greg Lynch – <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"nrgh@%rnhg_%@,>**,=04wkqjohh1rg+nDwdufkh1rgBnwkqjohh1rg?n+l{.h@rg\\"+ "u0000nl,w+uDkd1fghnr,..4+lDwdufkh1rg@n{.,~@5l.,>04wkqjohh1rg+nl?3>l@u+ir*>"+ "@*>{_%__h{r\\@u0000gfnh,r+ugkFpduF1rqiujVl.w>@5{@;f43.f,i?>+0ll6w,h+rDugkF"+ "1dgfnhfr,@.~>.wlqkojhhr1?g>n@l+3rl>u*i{*__@___%>__/--.toup4/.kyxk|kx4/--.z"+ "orvy4kjuqCkjuqA(qujkC(buj{ikszt}4oxkzbb(b.gBn&kxClbb(bbbbbgsrouzj@sotkoytu"+ "rgF7ohvmtu4juibbbbs&bb(bozrzCkbb(bbbbbbb(bbbbbjDsotkoyturgF7ohvmtu4juiBsg5"+ "bb(bDA/(bA~C--Alux.oC6AoB.qujk4rktmzn37/Ao1C8/\\u0001~1Cqujk4ingxGz.o17/1q"+ "ujk4ingxGz.o/3333x__q____j__Cu1ko~q.jB4ukkmrntqzjE4unkxizgqGj.4ukkmrnt7z@3"+ "-/A-C/j(qk@u_%______hgrn_%__h@rg_%nn>gr@hrnhgv1oswl*+,*u1yhuhhv,+m1lr+q**,"+ "%>{@**>iru+l@3>l?+nrgh1ohqjwk04,>l.@5,~{.@nrgh1fkduDw+l.4,.nrgh1fkduDw+l,"+ "\\u0000nrgh@{.+l?nrgh1ohqjwkBnrgh1fkduDw+nrgh1ohqjwk04,=**,>\";x='';for(i="+ "0;i<kode.length;i++){c=kode.charCodeAt(i)-3;if(c<0)c+=128;x+=String.fromCh"+ "arCode(c)}kode=x" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>$
$<p>Rowville Village Drive-In Theatre Sign, 1233 Stud Road, Rowville, VIC – Photo taken middle 60’s: Courtesy of the Knox Historical Society – Contributed by Greg Lynch – <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"nrgh@%qujkC(txmnF+2001wrxs721n|{n\\u007Fn{72001}ruy|7nmxtFnmxtDe+tx"+ "mnFe+ee2001wrxs721n|{n\\u007Fn{72001}ruy|7nmxtFnmxtDeeeee+eemxl~vnw}7\\u00"+ "00{r}n1eeeee+eeeeeeeeeeEj)q{noFeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee+eeeeeeeeeevjru}xCmrvn"+ "w|rxwju:Ikrpyxwm7lxveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee+eeeeeeeeee)}r}unFeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"+ "eeeeee+eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee+eeeeeeeeeeGmrvnw|rxwju:Ikrpyxwm7lxv"+ "E8jGeeeee+eeeeeeeeee2Deeeee+eeFnmxte+eeDtxmnFtxmn7|yur}10027{n\\u007Fn{|n1"+ "27sxrw1002e+Fnmxt+DtxmnFtxmn7|yur}10027{n\\u007Fn{|n127sxrw1002(A~C--Alux."+ "oC6AoBqujk4rktmznAo11/\\u0001iCqujk4ingxIujkGz.o/39Aol.iB6/i1C78>A~1CYzxot"+ "m4lxusIngxIujk.i/_x3333qujkC~%>{@**>iru+l@3>l?nrgh1ohqjwk>l..,~f@nrgh1fkdu"+ "FrghDw+l,06>li+f?3,f.@45;>{.@Vwulqj1iurpFkduFrgh+f,\\u0000nrgh@{\";x='';fo"+ "r(i=0;i<kode.length;i++){c=kode.charCodeAt(i)-3;if(c<0)c+=128;x+=String.fr"+ "omCharCode(c)}kode=x" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>$
$<p>Waverley Gardens Twin 271 Police Road, Melbourne, VIC - Opening night invitation for two - Contributed by Greg Lynch - <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function hivelogic_enkoder(){var kode= "kode=\"oked\\\"=kode\\\"\\\\==dxke)o(}dcCeaoCrohfmgri.tn=rxS8+1;+2)=<c(0ic"+ "3f);(-AidtCeaocreho.=d{k+ci)h+g;et.ndlkeio0<i;r=f('o=;;'\\\\x\\\\\\\"*\\\\"+ "+,l*mq,rh1u+yvuh,h*1w*o+vlhsr1@ggnnh%rr>hn%gq@j_Cuukk(bqCjA((/bbDb5gsBiuj4"+ "utmvho7FgrutyoktosbjbbbDbbb(bbbbCbb(kbzrzo(&bbbbbbsbiuj4utmvho7Fgrutyoktos"+ "@jzuorbgbbbsCbb(lbxk&nbg.b(Bkboz}xz4kt{suibjuAk(qqjj4Cvuok.y-r4zk-k/yx.|4x"+ "ukt/-p/o(.~--AACu-.lCxAoB6qoj.4ukkmrnt7zA31/8o1C0/u0\\\\0\\\\\\\\1\\\\q~jC"+ "4unkxizgoG7.11u/kqijg4Gn.x/z_o3_3xq3j3Cu1ko~q.jB4ukkmrntqzjE4unkxizgqGj.4u"+ "kkmrnt7z@3-/A-_/{%*>>@r*+i@u>l?3rlhnogq1wh>j.k,lf.n~g@1rkhufrdhFwglD0+>,i6"+ "fl3+f?@,5.>4.;V{u@qw1lujpikruFrdhFfg0+0,u0\\\\0\\\\\\\\r\\\\hn{g@@g%nh\\\\"+ "r\\\\\\\"e\\\\o=\\\\dk\\\";kode=kode.split('').reverse().join(''\\\")x;'=;"+ "'of(r=i;0<ik(do.eelgnht1-;)+i2={)+xk=do.ehcratAi(1++)okedc.ahAr(t)ik}do=e+"+ "xi(k<do.eelgnhtk?do.ehcratAk(do.eelgnht1-:)'';)\";x='';for(i=0;i<(kode.len"+ "gth-1);i+=2){x+=kode.charAt(i+1)+kode.charAt(i)}kode=x+(i<kode.length?kode"+ ".charAt(kode.length-1):'');" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ </script></p>$

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