CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

Opening and closing dates based on Film Weekly Directories

"Jarrahdale was a mill town, with a small timber hall, built in 1914.

At the turn of the century, when films first arrived in Western Australia, Jarrahdale was a rural area, but still close enough to Perth to occasionally see films. So, Heller’s Mahatma Company visited Jarrahdale on their way south as early as February 1901, and the Salvation Army Biorama Company in October 1904. The English and American Kinetoscope appeared in Jarrahdale in August 1908 and Vincent's Empire Pictures were there in October 1908.

The first regular circuit to visit Jarrahdale seems to have been Bob Perrie, replaced later by Roch Evans' Modern Cinemas circuit, which visited fortnightly with Ken Alexander as projectionist. This circuit was purchased by Charlie Legg in 1941, who tells the story of how one night during a film screening a fire broke out in the town, and the whole audience rushed outside to watch, the film suspended until the excitement died down and people returned to the hall.
In 1947, administration of the hall passed to the Road Board. In 1949, Legg sold the business to Lew Punch, who developed two travelling circuits - one in the wheatbelt (Dalwallinu, Williams, Wandering, Jarrahdale, Serpentine, Buntine, Kalannie, Wubin, Chidlow) and one in the north (as far as Bindoon). He, too, provided his own power plant, and travelled with his wife, who sold the tickets.

The last exhibitors in the hall seem to have been J. Tilka, who was listed in the Film Weekly Directory from 1958/9 to 1960/61, and R.M.Holland listed in 1960/61." (Bertrand 2001)
References
Cinemaweb: http://www.ammpt.asn.au/CinemaWEB/SITE/view.php?rec_id=0000000406
Film Weekly Directory 1940/41 - 1960/61