Western Drive-In

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Western Drive-In 473 Seventeen Mile Rocks Road, Oxley, QLD 4073

Photo – PAUL STENHOLM

Contributed by Meg Gordon, Nov. 2018 based on research undertaken by CSHSoc members regarding the Western Drive-in Theatre, Seventeen Mile Rocks

For over 21 years, from November 1966 until June 1988, western Brisbane residents enjoyed seeing movies at the Western Drive-in Theatre on Seventeen Mile Rocks Road. The theatre was situated on 473-513 Seventeen Mile Rocks Road, between Argyle St, whose houses backed onto the precinct, and Fremont St., on original land portion 198, Parish of Oxley.

During the period of operation of the theatre, it was often described as being the Oxley drive-in theatre, but it was actually west of Fort Rd (the Oxley boundary) in the then still developing Seventeen Mile Rocks suburb.

Ownership

Western Drive-in Pty Ltd, which was registered as an Australian proprietary company, limited by shares on 25 February 1965, was recorded on the land title deed as the owner of the land in June 1965. The land title deed records no change of ownership throughout the theatre’s operating period.

The licenses issued by Brisbane City Council were also in the company name. However, the company appears to have been a subsidiary company of Birch, Carroll & Coyle. From Feb. 1977, Birch, Carroll & Coyle Ltd letterhead was used in records on the Brisbane City Council licensing file on the theatre, and subsequent Council documentation referred to ‘Western Drive-in Theatre, Birch, Carroll & Coyle’. The Birch, Carroll & Coyle administration office advised member Pat Rosenthal that they had the Western Drive-in Theatre listed as having been owned by Birch Carroll & Coyle. Opening

Well over 12 months after Western Drive-in Pty Ltd acquired the land, the theatre opened in November 1966. An article in Inala News of 16 November 1966 described the opening: “Over 100 people were guests of the management when the Western Drive-in Theatre opened its gates at Oxley last Thursday. The Minister for Local Government, Mr Richter, officially opened the new Drive-in which is the 6th in Brisbane. Supper was served on the patio and the Inala Marching Girls and the Brisbane Federal Band staged a display. The manager for the Western Drive-in Theatre told Inala News that the theatre will fill a long needed want in the area. He added that there was space for 500 cars with more. –

Contributed by Greg Lynch –