CAARP: Cinema and Audience Research Project

Midland / Astor, Ararat

Venue Summary
Name	Midland / Astor, Ararat
Address	250 Barkly Street, Ararat, Victoria 3377
Operation Dates	1938-10-22 - 9999-12-31
Capacity	966
Suburban/Country	Country
Purpose	Cinema
Screens	1
Roles

Venue Comments
Opening as The Midland on October 22 1938, the theatre had to compete with the more established !Venue:886 and the Venue:888!. In roughly 1957 Mr J Anderson in partnership with R lirby took over the Midland and re-opened it with a reduced seating capacity of 966 as the Astor Theatre. The cinema closed on September 01 1984. In 2001 it was reported that the Astor was managed by Barry Byron and was open four days a week. References Film Weekly, Film Weekly: motion picture directory, Film Weekly, Sydney. 1946/7-1971 2001, 'Film venues of the Wimmera' Cinema Record, Iss. 33, Winter, pp.8-9. Adams, K. 'A history of the theatres of Ararat' Kino, pp.4-7 1938 'ARARAT'S NEW PICTURE THEATRE.', The Horsham Times, 18 February, p. 4, viewed 3 December, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72586525 Adams, K. 'A history of the theatres of Ararat', Kino, pp. 5-7 1938 'New theatre at Ararat.', The Argus, 3 February, p. 4, viewed 3 December, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11145751

Venue Events
Event Date	Name of Venue	Address	Latitude / Longitude	Capacity	Suburban	Purpose	Screens
1939-09-01	Midland	250 Barkly Street Ararat Victoria 3377	-37.28438 142.934414	1300	Country	Cinema	1
1957-01-01	Astor			966