Wintergarden Theatre
622 New South Head Road,
Sydney,
NSW
2029
622 New South Head Road,
Sydney,
NSW
2029
1 person
favorited this theater
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Closed on 17/4/1985.
This building should not have been demolished! Whats the use of hertiage listings!
I lived up on Vaulcuse Road and was a patron of the Wintergarden during the 60’s and 70’s. Cranbrook held school functions in the theater and so did some of the local clubs. I served cocktails there as a a waiter a few times. What a wonderful collection of photos. It brings back fond memories. I also remember the Regent and the other theaters downtown around George St. Sadly gone.
If anyone wants good photos of the interior of the Winter Garden Theatre try to get hold of Ross Thorne’s book – “Cinemas of Australia via U.S.A.” Great photos of Australia’s lost and in some cases still standing Movie Theatres. Glad to see the Sydney “State” still remains but the loss of the “Regent” and “Prince Edward” will be forever a tragedy. Cities are much the poorer without these magic places of entertainment.
@Evancguest The name of the Chinese restaurant next door to the Wintergarden was The Golden Fish. I spent a great deal of my childhood there as my parents were good friends of the owners, Alan and Lorretta To. Best Chinese food in the eastern suburbs 😀 They had huge fish tanks dividing the bar and eating area, and I remember Mrs To trying to teach a 7yr old me Marjong in the bar area between lunch and dinner lol. Loved that place.
Evan, not sure if you mean the “floating restaurant” that was moored in Rose Bay? Can’t remember the name when it was Chinese (if that’s the one) even though I went there but I’m sure it started out life as “Flannigan’s Afloat” and might’ve been a theatre restaurant in it’s early days?
Im really hoping someone can help me answer a burning question that a family close to me has. They urgently require the answer to the below…
What was the name of the Chinese Restaurant located right next to the Wintergarden Theatre in Rose Bay? It was in operation during the 70/80’s.
Please please someone help me.
Thanking you in advance.
Evan
I attended boarding school at Bellevue Hill between 1956 and 1963 and, as a “senior” in my latter years, and therefore eligible for day passes, I visited the Wintergarden quite often. Such a shame to see it demolished.
Good on you (PAUL BRENNAN) a dear friend and a devoted Cinema and theatre buildings officiado.
I attened the WINTERGARDEN regularly in the latter Fifties/early Sixties and helped to clean after the Saturday Matinees from 1957 thru 1959.
A beautiful site which always presented Double Bill programs which ran from Saturday to Friday which apart from consisting of First Class films, also gave great value.
Truly, one of the most tragic losses the responsible Sydney business and other reps. should forever be ashamed of.
Eric Glasby New South Wales, AUSTRALIA
Hi Paul
I would love to see some of the pics you took as well. I would like to add Sydney’s Regent Theatre to your list as well. Jo
Dear Rex. Councils do not re create demolished picture palaces. Yes they literally could have, but why would they? It is the wrong way to spend ratepayers money, and the Wintergarden would have cost millions to re create. I have never heard of any council doing that. Anyway, this council approved its demolition which is how the new owner was able to have a redevelopment passed and its destruction sealed. Yes I do have photos if you want a copy. send me an email with an address and I will send them you. Email address above. Be warned, you will be outraged. PAUL
Hi Paul
Do you have any photo’s of the interior of this theatre before it was tragically demolished?
I think this is a stupid question but couldn’t the council have it re-built?
One of Sydney’s most infamous demolitions in the ‘vandalism for profit’ category in the 80s, THE WINTERGARDEN is now the subject of much disgust and awe by a new generation of 30 year olds who cannot believe this gorgeous cinema was destroyed. I wandered through the intact cinema in 1986 which was left open so it could be vandalised. So I photographed it all and now I show everyone I can. I souveniered ANYTHING I wanted. The two main reasons for the loss of this astonishing 2100 seat venue, simply is that the very wealthy clientiele of Rose Bay and nearby would drive right past it to see the same film in the city. The other was the ‘Mr Burns’ personality of the last old manager who would regularly make destructive statements to the media that the theatre was crummy and not worth saving. Thanks to him, the heritage value was diminished and eventually through bad programming and shoddy customer service it closed. The new owners got a re development consent passed and then sold the site for a huge sum. Disgraceful conduct by wealthy bastards all round.
The other sites that were the Sydney demoilitions of appalling vandalism were: The 2100 seat gothic masterpiece Summer Hill Grosvenor 1930-70, The snazzy deco deluxe 2000 seater Ashfield Hoyts 1926/38-1974, The Manly Embassy/Odeon and of course exquisite The Prince Edward in the City. Horror!
PAUL BRENNAN .au