CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

"Gold was discovered at Marble Bar in 1891, and the town grew fast, building a Miner’s Institute in 1898. There was no evidence of films in this building, which was badly damaged in a storm in 1914, and finally demolished in 1918. A new hall was not built until 1925, and was completely paid for by 1930, but again films were not regularly screened there.

This is not as surprising as it seems. Marble Bar has a reputation for being the hottest town in Australia, with a record of 106 consecutive days of temperature higher than 37.8 degrees. Watching movies in a hall, even with windows and doors open, was not comfortable in the days before air conditioning. Even outdoor entertainment, such as offered in an open air picture gardens, was difficult to sustain in the town.

Nevertheless, open air screenings seem to have been offered at least from 1940. One open air cinema was located (at the Comet Mine?) over a mile from town, and operated from 1941-44 by E.J.Jeffreys / E.N.Woods.

Within the town itself, from 1943 to 1951 an enclosure was in use behind the house belonging to A.J. (Sandy) Thompson, who also ran the garage. This enclosure had timber side walls, and a bio-box standing between the Thompson’s yard and the cinema seating, which was in rows of canvas-covered deckchairs. During the war, the cinema, which could hold about 150, was often full, attendance boosted by the men from the RAAF base.

From 1951 S.H.Stubbs operated a new open air venue in the area bounded by Bohemia St, General St, Nicholls St and the Shire Yard. A permit for alterations was granted in 1966, and these screenings continued till about 1973, when Stubbs withdrew. The venue was taken over by Alf Potter, who looked after the booking and projecting while his wife looked after the food. They bought their own (second hand)16mm projectors, but found the cost of films prohibitive, particularly transport costs. If the films came by road, the exhibitor had to pay for a week’s hire even though screening only once: if the films came by air, freight costs were more expensive, but hire was only for one night because the film could be returned next day. So, when the Health Department became insistent about renovating the toilets, the Potters closed the venue, in the early 1970s.

Soon after, Hawkstone Minerals wanted a show for their workers. They agreed to pay film hire and freight, if Potter screened for them, takings to be shared between Potter and the Hawkstone Social Club. Brian Shelton and Alf Potter did it on this basis for about one year, then Hawkstone moved out, so film screenings in the town closed again.

The next screenings in the town were at the school, around 1982-3. These weekly programmes were provided mainly for the school children, using one 16mm. projector, with breaks for reel changes. Bob Kelly was projectionist for about one year then Alf Potter for another year.

This stop-start history of movies in the town finally
finished absolutely when TV arrived, in the mid-80s." (Bertand 2001)
References Cinemaweb: http://www.ammpt.asn.au/CinemaWEB/SITE/view.php?rec_id=0000000269