At The Drive-ins

[Rallye Sport]

After a recent visit to our local and last drive-in theatre in Perth I was wondering whether theres many or any left in the rest of Australia?
Unfortunately ours, The Galaxy, days are numbered with the ageing owners, noise complaints from local residents and the fact that it sits on prime residential land.
If you're in Perth pay it a visit sooner rather than later. Its a great night out and always a laugh watching them bring out the jumper packs to start people at the end of the night. You might even see the ghost, yes there is a resident ghost...

[Sabantien]

There is the Yatala Drive In near Brisbane. No noise complaints because they have window speakers, or you tune in on your stereo.

I'm sure there's someone who's been doing a project visiting and photographing the last remaining drive ins.

[burnz]

Heddon greta, (kurri Kurri N.S.W.)

[4vxc]

http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au

[93EB_SXR6]

Wallis cinemas operate a drive in at gepps cross here in SA. Pretty sure its the last one in the state.

[BPXR6T]

Closest one to me closed down in 1988. Birchip Victoria.
http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au...ic_birchip.htm

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by Sabantien

There is the Yatala Drive In near Brisbane. No noise complaints because they have window speakers, or you tune in on your stereo.

In my younger courting days in the late 70's, I fondly remember going to the local drive-in on the corner of Blackburn and Wellington Roads in Clayton here in Vic, which closed in 1984.

Plenty of good times in the long front bench seat of the XB Falcon with column shift.

There was always the odd car owner that forgot to disconnect the large metal window speaker (before tuning in your radio replaced them), before driving off.

Plenty of shattered driver's window glass.

[Kil4Collingwood]

Coburg and Dromana in Victoria.

[DJR-351]

Koorda and Dongara in country WA, although both are petty much seasonal now....

Lots of great memories of WA drive-ins from the 70s/80s, Mad Max was a memorable night both during the movie and especially when leaving, total chaos!! Max Rockatansky's everywhere

[XC50077]

Blacktown Drive Inn, Sydney. A great night out just for the entertainment provided by the attending car clubs and variety of other rods, good cars and hotties in general. The food is also good quality and fair prices.
Cheers

[FPV0002]

Originally Posted by Kil4Collingwood

Coburg and Dromana in Victoria.

There is also one in Dandenong VIC still operating I believe

[snap0964]

Originally Posted by XC50077

Blacktown Drive Inn, Sydney. A great night out just for the entertainment provided by the attending car clubs and variety of other rods, good cars and hotties in general. The food is also good quality and fair prices.Cheers

In the early eighties I used to go to the Skyline drive in (where Parklea markets are now)http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/53411 .
I guess 2 drive ins in the same area with the rise also of Beta and VHS home movies was too much.

[Pepscobra]

I really need to hurry up and get my XL wagon finished!
One of the first things I want to do is take the family to the drive-ins in it.
I do hope the Galaxy drive-in here in Perth last a few more years.

[arronm]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

After a recent visit to our local and last drive-in theatre in Perth I was wondering whether theres many or any left in the rest of Australia?
Unfortunately ours, The Galaxy, days are numbered with the ageing owners, noise complaints from local residents and the fact that it sits on prime residential land.
If you're in Perth pay it a visit sooner rather than later. Its a great night out and always a laugh watching them bring out the jumper packs to start people at the end of the night. You might even see the ghost, yes there is a resident ghost...

Yep, remember the 12 oclock midnight double "R rated" features. Only at the galaxy.

81-85 we lived at the drives at least once a week. Now I go to the galaxy once a month. Even take all the kids..

[GTLEGEND]

Blacktown Drive In still going strong and gets packed most nights...

Still not the same as the old days where you got two movies for the price of one and the four movie marathon on the Sunday night of a long weekend where Monday was off.

Still a good night out!!

[roKWiz]

I spent a lot of time at Dundas drive in and from memory the one at North Ryde (Macquarie Park now)
Had the pano turned around with top gate open, I don't remember much about the movies though.
Good to here Blacktown, and Heddon Greta still going.
I would like to take this Ford pano there but having barn doors wouldn't be the same.

[Maka]

Good to hear Blacktown's (NSW) drive in is still going, as a old Blacktown boy spent many a night there with my mates & our girlfriends in our old grunters watching funny Cheech & Chong reruns etc. Good old days!

cheers, Maka

[Fed]

I remember going to Bass Hill in the early 90s, it was like being time warped back into a "Happy Days" episode.

[Craig@AUDI]

Originally Posted by burnz

Heddon greta, (kurri Kurri N.S.W.)image

Goodness that brings back memories!

[Olbucko]

Used to be a drive in beside conrod straight at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, closed about 30 years ago, now replaced by a ritzy Rydges hotel
It would have been the coldest drive in Aust. on a cold Bathurst winter night. One needed to do a lot more than just watch the movie to keep warm.

[Work Horse]

We attended the Dromana 3 in Vic for New Year this year. They put on a couple of bands, double feature and fireworks at midnight.

They sold out every spot including the new "deck chair cinema". It was the first time they had ever sold out. There may still be demand for drive-in's if marketed well.

We had a great night.

[Work Horse]

Traps for young players...

Many modern cars have dash lights that are on all the time the key is on.
Take a cover to put over the dash!

Many modern cars have auto headlights that come on with the key and have to be turned off again.
You have to be really quick to turn off the auto headlight as you turn the key.
Saw several people not realise their lights had come on until the person in front of them pointed it out.

[GTLEGEND]

There was also a drive in in Fairfield NSW opposite to where the markets/horse track is today. It was on the corner which I think its a school or a church today.

[EBSXR6]

I grew up in Box Hill North there was a few drive ins within an easy drive, Burwood, Bulleen, Clayton, Croydon and Wantirna.

We had some family holidays at Tootgarook and went to the Dromana Drive in.

[Charliewool]

Ahhh, memories!
Spent many an evening at Sunset drive-in in various Customlines
http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au...aribyrnong.htm

[Ben73]

I'm pretty sure the Heddon Greta drive in was still advertising on a local radio station maybe 5 years ago. Either that or I am remembering an ad from when I was a kid.

[snap0964]

Heddon Greta closed 1984, reopened 1996, still operating - bit of a rarity.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/51978

Some good archive photos, has the website link too.

[arronm]

Iam from WA, one time I went to the drive-in in Canberra, each park appeared to have 2 speakers. Closer inspection revealed one was a heater you put into the car...

[stefcio007]

DRLs are ruining drive-in cinemas. They are also ruining star watching with people who do not know how to turn them off. Just lock the car and they turn off. Although at a drive-in that might be a problem if you want to use your radio to listen to the movie sound.

edit; How do people sitting in the back see anything? (is this a weird question?)

[4vxc]

Originally Posted by snap0964

Heddon Greta closed 1984, reopened 1996, still operating - bit of a rarity.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/51978

Some good archive photos, has the website link too.

Yeah Heddon Greta is still going strong, get a lot of people coming up from the Central Coast