Cinema and Theatre Historical Society Australia - CATHS

22/08/2026

Our presentation this week on Mechanics Institutes used as cinemas was well received. Thanks to all who attended. Shown projected on the screen is Murtoa in Victoria’s Wimmera, which began screening in the early 1920s. These photos from almost 100 years later show that the building is still a prominent feature of the small town.

19/08/2026

Cinema lovers will be familiar with the iconic Capitol Theatre, one of Canberra’s early buildings when it opened in 1927. It was demolished in 1980 and replaced by a more modern cinema, which had expanded to 6 screens by the mid 2000s. That cinema did not open after a COVID closure in 2020 and was demolished in 2023. This week’s photo shows a hotel close to completion on the corner site. The cinema is remembered by this sign on the street opposite.

14/08/2026

Press Reports this week claim that Australian cinemas’ box office has exceeded $100m for each of the last 3 months for the first time in history. Recent blockbusters have contributed to this, including Spider Man Brand New Day, pictured today at Canberra’s Dendy. IMAX sessions are regularly selling out around Australia.

09/08/2026

Some key moments at the Melbourne Athenaeum - Victoria’s first Mechanics’ Institute.

09/08/2026

Melbourne’s Athenaeum was Victoria’s first Mechanics’ Institute. It held the world premiere of the first full length film, The Story of the Kelly Gang, in Dec 1906 and Melbourne’s first talkie, The Jazz Singer, in Feb 1929. It now operates mainly as a live venue. More than 170 Victorian Mechanics’ Institutes operated as picture theatres.
The topic will be featured in CATHS’ presentation Movies at the Mechanics’ at the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute on 20th August. Bookings are essential via this link https://brushfire.com/pmivictorianhistorylibrary/MoviesMech/627618.

PMI Victorian History Library, 39 Saint Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC 3181 AU - Thursday 20 Aug 2026 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm AEST

04/08/2026

In the days of the blockbusters every workplace staff noticeboard had posters like this. The theatre party was a popular staff function and was well promoted by the cinemas. Hoyts Cinema Centre actively marketed to staff social clubs from their earliest days. Is this another lost tradition in these work from home days?

29/07/2026

At Southport (Qld) the Australia Fair shopping centre contained the Southport 6 Cinema when it opened in 1993. This evolved into a 10 screen Event cinema, then added 2 Gold Class screens in a 2007 refurbishment. It closed after our last photo from 2021. It has now been reopened by the Cineplex chain as per this week’s photo.

27/07/2026

Burleigh Heads (Qld) De-Luxe theatre photographed this week. The sign attached to the building details the proposed restoration project. Earlier photos are from the 1950s and 2021, before demolition of the rear section.

21/07/2026

Queensland Gold Coast’s Harbour Town shopping centre in Biggera Waters advertises that it contains Queensland’s largest cinema complex. Reading’s entrance from one of the palm tree lined shopping malls is certainly different from other shopping complex cinemas.

14/07/2026

In the early days of cinema in Victoria films were screened at the local Mechanics’ Institute. This is a great photo of Burwood after the arrival of Talkies.

Hear the full story at the PMI CATHS lecture on 20th August. Details and booking on this link: https://brushfire.com/pmivictorianhistorylibrary/MoviesMech/627618