New Farm Six Cinemas

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Taken on: August 17, 2022

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Astor Theatre 701 Brunswick Street, Brisbane, QLD - Originally the Merthyr Picture Palace

Located in New Farm, a trendy inner-city suburb of Brisbane. This opened around 1921 as the Merthyr Picture Palace, it had a seating capacity of 1,143. In 1938, it was re-modeled by Scottish born architect George Rae and was re-named Astor Theatre. By 1951 it was operated by Merthyr Theatres Pty. Ltd.

After a second screen was added, the Village Twin Cinemas re-opened in late-1970, and had been planned by architect Ron G. Monsborough. It was the first twin cinema complex in Queensland. Cinema One [The Blue Room] had a seating capacity of 555, and Cinema Two [The Purple Room] could seat 352.

Work had begun on a restoration of the building but the work was stopped when severe structural problems were discovered. The building was found to be unstable.

In early-2010, plans were proposed to convert the building into office use, and bring back the Purple Room auditorium as a cinema. Despite being Heritage listed, it was partially demolished by removing the main auditorium in August 2011. It was expanded and reopened by Event Cinemas as the New Farm Six Cinemas in January 2015 - Notes by Lost Memory.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -