CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

The Odeon was built to serve the growing migrant population that settled on the southern shores of Lake Illawarra in the immediate post-war period (Cinema Treasures 2010). Thorne et. al (1996) note that the building of an Odeon Theatre outside of a capital or regional city was a rare move for Greater Union.

A ‘Miracle Mirror’ screen was installed in July 1955 allowing patrons to view wide-screen and later CinemaScope movies.

Parkinson (1995, p. 99) states that the theatre was closed by police in 1962 for failing to meet fire safety standards. At this stage Greater Union chose to relinquish the lease and the Odeon closed. This, however, was not to be the end of the cinema. Under the direction of new lessee Harry Waghorn, architect R. Magoffin devised a plan for the dress circle to be converted into a smaller cinema licenced to seat 525 and the rest of the building made over to shops. The cinema reopened under the name of the Gala on 2nd June 1972 (Thorne et. al. 1996; Parkinson 1995).

In 1996 the Gala was converted into a twin cinema when a second auditorium licenced to seat 107 was constructed on the former roof garden (Cinema Treasures 2010).

Both cinemas are still in operation.

3D projection equipment was introduced in 2011.

References:
Cinema Treasures. 2010. ‘Gala Cinema’ http://cinematreasures.org/theater/33616/ access 12 April 2011

Parkinson, R. J 1995, Gauffered Velour: A history of motion picture exhibition and picture theatres in the Illawarra district of New South Wales 1897-1994, Australian Theatre Historical Society Inc, Campbelltown NSW.

Thorne, R, Tod, L & Cork, K 1996, Movie Theatre Heritage Register for New South Wales 1896 – 1996, Department of Architecture, University of Sydney, Sydney.