Lakeside Drive-In

film on February 17, 2019 at 10:38 am

Lakeside Drive-in Theatre, Yarrawonga Opened: Tues March 21, 1961 Location: Murray Valley Hwy, Yarrawonga, Victoria, Australia… Capacity: 380 Cars…… Operators : The Scott Family (David & Murial – owners) managed for the Scott’s by Kevin Harbrow during the 60’s & 70’s. Then Bob Jane & brother during the 80’s …. The operator at closing – Steve McDonnell …. The Lakeside closed: 17th April 1999.

Brief history: Greg Lynch says – The Lakeside Drive-in theatre, Yarrawonga is located near the Victoria/NSW boarder, on the main Hwy running into town. After the Grove Open Air theatre closed in 1964, The Lakeside was the only film venue in town for most of the last 40 years, In the early days the Lakeside traded well. Yarrawonga had the advantage of a large summer influx of water-skiers who would swell the ramps. The Projection room was at the front of the snack bar/toilet building. (refer to the photo) Fenced gardens were in front of the ground floor projection room, to stop little kids and big kids making rabbit ears in the projection beam. The irony is, despite a small population of only 3,500, Yarrawonga had a drive-in theatre that operated until 1999.(the population today is 7057) The reasons for the closure are many. Along with the easy access to video tape movies, drive in theatres just fell out of fashion. The Lakeside Drive – in theatre was owned in the beginning by The Scott Family from Cobram. Muriel Scott ran the Melba Theatre in Cobram, Victoria, while David would ultimately build & operate, The Stargazer Drive in theatre in Albury NSW.. Later years – The Lakeside drive in was resurrected and operated on & off during the summer months, while competing against movies shown at the Town Hall. It’s difficult to operate a venture that only makes money during the warmer months. Today this picture paddock is once again dark. A lot of interest in the town of Yarrawonga has disappeared for an old Picture Show Man like myself. Call me old fashioned, or just someone who liked to relax in his car on a nice summers night & enjoy a movie under the stars. Regretfully the drive-in on the highway is no more, and for industry people the paddock will always remain dark…

P on March 3, 2018 at 6:12 pm

Corner of Murray Valley Highway and Botts rd