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Entertainment for the citizens of Gympie has consisted of
various forms over the years. Today we have modern halls, theatres and
cinema to cater for the locals but it is not known to the general public
that behind the modern shop facades in Mary Street, a small piece of history
has been preserved. On the 20 July. 1927 J. & L. Cameron advised the Town
Clerk, Gympie City Council that they had purchased from Mr. John White the
property known as "The Peoples Cash Store" on the 1 July, 1927. They
immediately started building a new complex, shops with living accommodation
above. Prior to that date their business was on the Post Office side of
Peter Patrick's business. Approximately 1935 they built a skating rink at
the rear of the original complex.
In August, 1938 the Cameron’s built a new picture theatre to
replace the Coronation Glideway Skating Rink. The four large columns that
supported the roof had to be demolished and the roof redesigned. The timber
floor, used for the skating rink which had the floor boards laid in circular
formation, was retained.
The new theatre building was opened by the Mayor, Aid. L.J.
Thomas and supported by Mr. T. Dunstan, M.L.A. on Saturday, September 3.
1938. The picture programme commenced at 7.15 pm and the opening took place
at 8.15 pm on Saturday night in the presence of a large house that must have
gratified the proprietors.
The Mayor complimented the proprietors upon their initiative
in giving to Gympie a theatre that compared without discredit with any other
picture theatre outside the metropolis. There was a great business risk in
such an undertaking and it was pleasing to find business people with
sufficient faith in Gympie to take the risk. Not only had Miss and Mr.
Cameron accepted responsibility for such an enterprise, but they had not
spared any pains to make their patrons comfortable in every possible way.
There was seating accommodation for 1250 on a comfortable
scale and ample room in emergency for several hundred more. In the splendid
dress circle were 400 deeply sprung and padded seats, the occupants of which
could look directly at the centre of the screen. On the floor of the hall
were nearly 1000 more and the rows were so placed that occupants of seats
would not be inconvenienced by patrons moving in or out past them in the
same row. Room was left to stretch one's legs to full length. The seats were
Dunlopillo, the well known latex product. In the front of the dress circle
was a mayoral box which commanded a comfortable view of the proscenium, the
border of which was picked out with a delicate
decorative pattern of blue and
gold painted by Mr. W. Abbott. When the screen was not in use it was hidden
by a drop curtain of gold chenille that weighs a hundred weight and
shimmered beautifully. The side doors were also concealed by heavy blue
curtains with artistically designed modernistic pelmets. The modern
character was noticeable everywhere -in the electric light globes, in the
design and furnishing of the foyer and in the seating arrangements which
appeared to preclude foreshortened views of the screen even at the extreme
ends of the hall.
The acoustic properties of the auditorium were tested by Mr.
J.W. Greene of Brisbane. During this week by dropping a beam of timber on
the floor and not an echo reverberated in the hall. The walls are of fibrous
plaster and the ceiling (in which is a specially designed ventilation
system) is of asbestos. A result of this apart from its admirable effect
upon sound, is that the theatre was fire proof. Practically speaking the
floor was the only part of the whole building that would burn, even the
frame work of the seats were of solid metal. Down the aisles however, were
runners of matting the weight and texture of which rendered them negligible
as an inflammatory agent.
The foyer had an attractive as well as utilitarian
appearance. This lead from the Mary Street entrance, through what was the
showroom of J. & L. Cameron's business premises, presently Ladybird, 70 feet
back to the main entrance to the theatre and 20 feet wide. Thus there was no
need for patrons, waiting to meet friends before going in, to stand about
the public footpath: they waited in the foyer where there were comfortable
seats and lounge couches. These, being against the walls, never obstructed
the passage of patrons.
Pictures, mirrors, flowers and
ferns and the blue and gold decorative motif characterised the foyer also.
The ticket boxes, one at each side were placed at the far end of the foyer
near the theatre door so this. too, should obviate obstruction of the public
street by a queue of ticket purchasers. Between the ticket offices and the
door to the hall (again on each side) there was a splendid large
lavatory accommodation which was the last thing in scientific and hygienic
systems.
Two very wide escape doors led to
Young Street and took probably the greater part of the audience after a
performance while the rest emerged into Mary Street from the main door.
On 6 November 1947 the management
of the Liberty Theatre, Brisbane, Pty Ltd, took over the Coronation Theatre
and renamed it the Liberty Theatre. To conform with the firm's Brisbane
suburban and country theatre circuit, the theatre underwent extensive
structural alterations, including the provision of a cooling system and
modernisation of the theatre entrance, where fluorescent lighting was
installed. In addition a milk bar was erected adjacent to the main building.
Modern sounding materials were used to give listening perfection. Towards
the end of it life as a theatre it was used as a skating rink and picture
theatre. I believe the theatre closed 1965/66.
The rear doors to Young Street,
the splendid large lavatory accommodation, ticket box, dress circle and the
chenille curtain are still there unchanged. The Mayoral Box is now a landing
with steps leading to it. The skating rink floor is intact and the
projection equipment has been stored.
The flat above Craftwheel Gallery
and Navy Jones, used by Mr. and Miss Cameron still has their furniture in
it.
By M. Burkhardt & D. Kay
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