Marysville Theatre

Before the Black Sunday bushfires, February 7, 2009. Marysville was a picturesque tourist town nestled in the Yarra Ranges, known for its natural beauty, quaint charm, and proximity to the Lake Mountain ski resort. It was a popular destination for bikers, cyclists, and those seeking a tranquil escape in the Australian bush. The town featured a main street with shops, cafes, and galleries and was famous for it’s residential houses, farms and holiday accommodation.

Marysville was also known for its high rainfall, lush vegetation, and distinctive European-style gardens. It was into this environment that Jim Wallace who was born in Dumfries, Scotland emigrated to Australia with his family aged 6. He arrived and settled in Marysville in 1922 and ended up working for the Barton Brothers looking after their touring cars and their garage. He met Marj in 1928 and they married in 1930.

Jim and another well known local Clarrie Smith had spoken many times about showing the new fangled ‘talkies’ in the local hall and then in 1932 had local builder, Harold Cuzens, build the Marysville Theatre, located on Murchison Street.

The theatre was constructed of solid concrete and was used successfully as a cinema and meeting place from its opening in 1932. In 1947 Mr. J. Wallace of Marysville approached the council requiring prevention of smoking in the picture theatre. The Marysville Theatre was closed in 1970 when it was purchased by the Darmody family, where for two years it was used as an Arts and Crafts Centre. The building was then purchased by Norman & Rosemary Fiske in 1977 and converted into a popular restaurant named The Pumpernickel.

The Wallace’s now in their senior years departed Marysville in 1980 for a new life in Ringwood, Victoria.

The former Marysville Theatre, along with most of the town, was destroyed in the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, mentioned at the beginning of this overview. Prior to the fires, Marysville experienced a prolonged period of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching between 43 and 48 degrees Celsius. The town has a close-knit community, with fourth-generation residents and a strong sense of local identity. There is a fierce determination to rebuild Marysville and return it to a place where guesthouses and homes with beautiful gardens, reminiscent of a quaint English village can flourish once more in the Australian bush, and perhaps in time, a new cinema will be built to carry on the legacy of the Wallace family.

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