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Author Topic: Drive-in boom hits Melbourne Peter Berrett Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Victoria, Australia Registered: Nov 2000 posted 03-14-2003 08:32 PM                        Hi all Whilst visiting the Lunar Drive-in in Dandenong last night I asked one of the girls in the snack bar, when the Drive-in would be adding their 3rd and 4th screens. I was told that the Drive-in is looking to add its 3rd screen later this year. http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/vic_dandenong.htm This continues the growing popularity of Drive-in Theatres in Melbourne after a brief period in the late eighties when there were no drive-ins left in suburban Melbourne at all. After this brief hiatus Coburg Drive-in was re-opened. Later a second screen was added and later still a third screen. http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/vic_coburg.htm Meanwhile down at Dromana which is just outside suburban Melbourne the Dromana drive-in had proceeded to add a second screen and a couple of months ago added a third screen. There is an aerial picture of the drivein at its home page which shows the new screen (top right). http://www.drivein.net.au/ But wait... you want more? News is that the Warragul Drive-in, also just outside suburban Melbourne is to be reopened. http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/vic_warragul.htm And the future? It has been a few years since Coburg added an extra screen. One can forsee that at some future juncture an extra screen might be added. Maybe David Kilderry can give us a hint of what teh future holds for Coburg? Dromana might be able to add an extra screen at some future point but it is running out of real estate. Dandenong already has approval to go to 4 screens. One can reasonably expect this to occur in the next couple of years. The big question though, surrounds a disused Drive-in located smack dab in Melbourne's highly residential and leafy eastern suburbs. The site of the former Wantirna drive-in is largely intact including snack bar and projection rooms. Formerly a single, and later twin drive-in it sits idle and basically only requires the erection of screens. The site is owned by the government and was earmarked for a public hospital however this proposal fell through. Meanwhile the site is used for a very busy weekend market during which the snack bar is packed. If this drive-in was up and running with say 3 screens it would attract huge patronage. It is staggering to think that noone has seriously considered reopening the drive-in. Maybe Readings could re-open it? Returning to the growth of drive-ins in Melbourne, many of the patrons are in fact younger people who are discovering for the first time the joys of open-air cinema. Back in the 70s drive-ins had acquired a decidedly seedy reputation however this image problem seems to have been shaken off. The drive-ins of today are largely family-orientated and show first run product.The increased number of screens provides greater choice for patrons and the snack bars at Dandenong, Dromana and Coburg have been renovated to make them more modern and provide easy access for the handicapped. The increased number of screens, modern conveniences, family orientation and first-run product suggest that over time a new business model has emerged for drive-in theatres which encompasses the above features. It seems likely that this business model will be more robust than that of drive-ins' previous incarnation in that the diversified cinema product being shown means that the risk of screening is spread across several films. If the growth in Drive-ins in Melbourne continues unabated, one would reasonably expect to see a further 2 or 3 multi-screen drive-ins open in Melbourne by 2006. The absence of a drive-in in either Geelong or Melbourne's western suburbs suggests that a new drive-in located in Werribee would do very good business. The only other remaining Drive-in site which has not bene built upon in Melbourne is the former site of the Doncaster Drive-in which is in a dishevelled state. Maybe this site might even one day be re-opened however some dificulties might be experienced with the local council. http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/vic_bulleen.htm All in all, the future looks bright for drive-in cinema-going in Melbourne. cheers Peter  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-14-2003 10:45 PM                     Peter, There may be a used DI screen available near me soon! I can put it on a barge and ship it your way soon...... Mark  |  IP: Logged Peter Berrett Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Victoria, Australia Registered: Nov 2000 posted 03-15-2003 07:03 PM                        Thanks Mark Send it over, although I think you might have a bit of trouble finding a prepaid envelope large enough at the post office cheers Peter  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-17-2003 04:45 PM                       Hey, that's great news! Try as they might, drive-ins can't be killed! Heh-heh!  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-10-2011 03:52 AM                 It has been 2855 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Peter Berrett Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Victoria, Australia Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-10-2011 03:52 AM                        This is an old thread but it is appropriate to give a bit of an update in light of current events. The following has been happening in the drive-in theatre world in Melbourne: 1. The Lunar Drive-in (run by film-techer David Kilderry) has just added its 4th screen)!!! David's captive screen breeding program has finally met with success. 2. Late last year the Dromana and Coburg Drive-ins were heritage listed (against the wishes of their owners!) 3. Yesterday I posted a nomination form + attachments to heritage Victoria to have the Lunar Drive-in heritage listed. 4. Some time ago I was successful in nominating the Wantirna Drive-in (now closed) to be registered with the National Trust. I am now collecting the information necessary to have the Wantirna Drive-in heritage listed as well. Even though it is closed, its unique architecture warrants preservation and protection. Look for yourself http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/vic_wantirna.htm I wonder if there are any rural Victorian drive-ins left that warrant preservation? Does the US have similar mechanisms to preserve old buildings etc? cheers Peter  |  IP: Logged

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