Note: Some picture theatres were multi-purpose and had live shows as well as showing movies. Sometimes the programme for an evening’s entertainment might be a live local artist performing on stage before the feature movies were shown. Most picture theatres employed a pianist to render the music for the silent movies, but some employed a small four or five piece orchestra.
1900 – THEATRE ROYAL in Flinders St opened by Governor Lord Lamington on Mon 12 Nov 1900. The Theatre Royal showed pictures when booked by travelling picture show companies but when not booked for this or live performances showed pictures as the Royal Pictures. Theatre Royal leased by Mr T.V.Coyle.
1910 – STANLEY STADIUM behind Lowth’s Hotel in Stanley St. in Townsville mentioned in Cairns Post Sat 22 Oct 1910.
1912 – LYCEUM PICTURES on the corner of Sturt & Stokes St. mentioned in TDB Thurs 4 Jan 1912.
1912 – OLYMPIA THEATRE opened in the leased Stanley Stadium by Birch & Carroll (running on Mon 8 Jan 1912 according to TDB)
1912 – Lyceum Pictures last show was on Sat 28 Sep 1912 (TDB Mon 30 Sep 1912)
1912 – Lyceum Pictures sold to Birch & Carroll, Brisbane, & Mr T.V.Coyle of Townsville
1912 – OLYMPIA THEATRE then opened in the previous Lyceum cnr Sturt & Stokes St. and opened on Sat 23 Nov 1912 (TDB Sat 23 Nov 1912)
1912 – STANLEY PICTURES Advertised in TDB Sat 23 Nov 1912
1914 – TOWNSVILLE PICTURE THEATRE, Flinders St. West opens Thurs 28 May 1914 (TDB Mon 25 May 1914)
1914 – EMPIRE PICTURES next to the Empire Hotel in South Townsville, opened Sat 19 Dec 1914 (TDB Sat 19 Dec 1914)
1915 – GAIETY PICTURES, Hebb’s Stadium, Denham St. opened Sat 13 Mar 1915 (TDB Sat 13 Mar 1915)
1915 – TIVOLI PICTURES, the renamed Stanley Pictures opened Sat 31 July 1915 (TDB Fri 30 Jul 1915)
1916 – STRAND PICTURES, the renamed Townsville Picture Theatre/Palace in Flinders St West opened Sat 12 Feb 1916 (TDB Sat 12 Feb 1916)
1916 – Tivoli Pictures became STANLEY PICTURES again on Thurs 4 May 1916 (advert in TDB Mon 1 May 1916)
1918 – CITY PICTURES, Flinders St, City, a newly built theatre, opened Mar 1918 (mention in TDB Mon 18 Mar 1918)
1918 – City Pictures reopened as PARAMOUNT THEATRE on Sat 21 Dec 1918 (TDB Wed 18 Dec 1918)
1925 – UNION PICTURES at the Waterside Workers Hall, South Townsville commenced Sat 31 Jan 1925 TDB and last advertised on Sat 30 May 1925.
1925 – Stanley Theatre managerial note: Mr. Hans Neelsson is relinquishing the proprietorship of the Stanley Theatre (TDB Sat 27 Jun 1925)
1925 – MINNA’S THEATRE, (previously Stanley Theatre) opening Sat 4 Jul 1925 (TDB Sat 27 Jun 1925)
1925 – MORROW PICTURES commenced in Waterside Workers Hall on Saturday 22 Aug 1925 (TDB Fri 14 Aug 1925) and ended July 1926.
1926 – SOUTH TOWNSVILLE PICTURES opened in Waterside Workers Hall, South Townsville on Sat 21 Aug 1926 (TDB Fri 20 Aug 1926)
1927 – MINNA’s PARK THEATRE, Charters Towers Rd corner of Oxford St, Hermit Park, a purpose built theatre, opened Sat 14 May 1927 (TDB Sat 14 May 1927)
1927 – WINTERGARDEN THEATRE, Sturt St. City opened Sat 4 Jun 1927 (TDB Sat 4 Jun 1927)
1927 – SUN PICTURES, Charters Towers Rd, Hermit Park, opposite the Royal Oak Hotel, opened Sat 11 Jun 1927 (TDB Fri 10 Jun 1927)
1927 – NORTH WARD PICTURES, using the Scout Hall, opened Sat 16 Jul 1927
(TDB Sat 16 Jul 1927)
NORTH WARD PICTURES
The North Ward Pictures will pre
sent their Initial programme at the
Scouts Hall to-night. Fred Thomp
son and Silver King head the bill
In ‘The Wild Bulls Lair,’ with ‘The
Lone Wolf,s Return.’ featuring Bert
Lytell and Billie Dove, as the support
ing feature.
1927 – South Townsville Pictures under new management running the same programme as North Ward Pictures Mon 18 Jul 1927 (TDB Mon 18 Jul 1927)
1927 – Attention is drawn to a sale by tender of Minna’s Stanley and Hermit Park Theatres, closing the 19th Nov 1927 (TDB Mon 14 Nov 1927)
1927 – HYDE PARK THEATRE, previously Minna’s Park Theatre, reopened Sat 10 Dec 1927 (TDB Wed 7 Dec 1927)
1927 – PALM COURT THEATRE, previously Minna’s Stanley Theatre, reopened Sat 17 Dec 1927 (TDB Mon 12 Dec 1927)
1927 – Sun Talkies (Pictures) showed a new type of then talkie pictures for the week (TDB Mon 31 Dec 1927). (Sound equipment travelling with the films not installed in theatre permanently)
1927 – South Townsville Talkies (Pictures) showed a new type of then talkie pictures for the week (TDB Mon 31 Dec 1927). (Sound equipment travelling with the films not installed in theatre permanently)
1928 – Olympia Theatre showed talkie pictures for a week from Sat 5 Jan 1928 (TDB Mon 31 Dec 1927). (Sound equipment travelling with the films not installed in theatre permanently)
1929 – Paramount Theatre and staff became part of the Birch, Carroll & Coyle organisation on Sat 9 Feb 1929. (TDB Tues 12 Feb 1929)
1929 – Talkie pictures operation and sound equipment “Cinesound” from the Western Electric Company of America is to be installed permanently into the Wintergarden Theatre in Townsville. (TDB Sat 25 May 1929)
1929 – THE TALKIES. – Townsville’s first Talkie picture, ‘The Jazz Singer,’ which opens at the Wintergarden Theatre on Monday 5 August 1929. (TDB Sat 27 Jul 1929)
1929 – Olympia Theatre opened to the public as the first al fresco (open air) talkie theatre in Australasia, and the only one of its kind in the world on Sat 16 Nov 1929 (TDB Wed 13 Nov 1929)
1930 – HYDE PARK THEATRE – The official opening of the new ‘talkie’ installation at Hyde Park Theatre will took place Sat 11 Jan 1930. (TDB Sat 11 Jan 1930)
1930 – South Townsville Talkies (Pictures) – grand opening of the newly installed sound equipment on Sat 25 Jan 1930. (TDB Sat 25 Jan 1930)
1930 – SUN PICTURES – The grand opening of the new ‘talkie’ installation took place Tue 3 Jun 1930 (TDB Tues 3 Jun 1930)
1930 – Paramount Theatre, after a long and popular career as a picture theatre, opened on Sat 13 Dec 1930 to the public of Townsville in an entirely new role of amusement venues — that of a miniature golf course. THE ‘MIGET’ GOLF COURSE. (TDB Sat 13 Dec 1930)
1932 – HYDE PARK TALKIES – reopened Sat 23 Apr 1932 under new management and with new talkie equipment. (TDB Sat 23 April 1932)
1932 – REGENT THEATRE – previously Hyde Park Theatre, grand reopening with talkies Wed 12 Oct 1932, under the sole direction of J. A. Feldt. (TDB Wed 12 Oct 1932)
1934 – ROXY THEATRE – previously Paramount Theatre, gala opening on Sat 4 Jul 1934. (TDB Wed 4 Jul 1934)
1938 – ESTATE THEATRE, Railway Ave, Railway Estate opened Sat 27 Aug 1938 (TDB Sat 27 Aug 1938)
1938 – PLAZA THEATRE – opening night of the newly constructed theatre at the corner of Echlin and North Streets. West End, on Tues 13 Sep 1938. (TDB Tues 13 Sep 1938)
1940 – DRIVE IN THEATRE, Sports Reserve, North Ward opening night (TDB Sat 14 Nov 1940). First in Townsville. First in Australia. Possibly the first outside USA.
1942 – Drive In Theatre, North Ward closed due to Government Orders (TDB 1 Aug 1942).
Probably due to new black out restrictions during World War 2.
1946 – TDB Fri 17 May 1946 reports: Q. E. and S. J. O’Keefe — erection picture theatre and dance hall: Report having approved of the erection of a picture theatre and dance hall at the corner of Hervey’s Range Road (now Ross River Rd) and Charlotte Street, (PALLADIUM THEATRE)
Same report mentions: D. Millican— erection picture theatre. Cook Street: Report having advised that the Council will have no objection to the erection of a picture theatre on the land referred to. (ESQUIRE THEATRE)
1947 – Oonoonba – TDB Fri 20 Jun 1947 reports: Council Meeting (in part)
Stortenbecker, S. J. — erection Picture Theatre, Oonoonba. (REX THEATRE, Abbott St.)
1947 – Garbutt – TDB Fri 17 Oct 1947 reports that the Department Local Government, re Picture Theatre. Garbutt: Recommend that the Council offer no objection to the use of McNamara’s Hall as a picture theatre.
1947 – PALLADIUM THEATRE opened 23 Dec 1947
1948 – TDB Mon 16 Feb 1948. North Ward Pictures advert shows it is held at the Sports Reserve.
1948 – TDB Fri 16 Jul 1948 GARBUTT PICTURES advert for the continuing Gala opening week
1948 – ESQUIRE THEATRE, 25 Cook St, North Ward opened Sat 17 Jul 1948 & Mon 19 Jul 1948 7.30pm and advertised TDB Fri 16 Jul 1948.
Advert in TDB Sat 17 Jul 1948 says tonight & Mon Night 7.30pm
Theatre was mentioned in the TDB Wed 20 May 1953.
1948 Esquire Theatre advert TDB Mon 26 Jul 1948
1948 – HOLIDAY PICTURE THEATRE, Picnic Bay, Magnetic Island.
TDB Sat 19 Jun 1948
Sturgess. H, picture theatre. Picnic Bay: Report having
made an Inspection of the premises and having agreed to grant
registration, conditionally that the
requirements stipulated by the City Health Inspector are carried out.
1948 – ARCADIAN GARDENS THEATRE, Arcadia, Magnetic Island showed movies on Sat 3rd July 1948. Advertised in TDB on the same day.
Still advertised as showing movies in the TDB Sat 13 May 1950.
1949 – TDB Wed 4 May 1949 – REX THEATRE opening tonight at 7.30pm installed with RCA Photophone Sound Equipment
1953 – CIVIC THEATRE – previously South Townsville Talkies was opened on Sat 23 May 1953. (TDB Wed 20 May 1953) [This is NOT to be confused with the present day Townsville Civic Theatre.]
1953 – ASTOR PICTURE THEATRE, Palmerston St, near the corner of Grosvenor St, Currajong was opened Mon 28 Sep 1953. (TDB Tue 29 Sep 1953)
1957 – NORLINE DRIVE-IN, 563 Ingham Rd, Garbutt, opened Fri 27 Sep 1957.
1964 – Estate Theatre closed c1964
1966 – Olympia Closed c1966
1968 – Esquire Theatre closed c1968
1968 – STUART DRIVE-IN, Bruce Highway, Cluden, next to Stuart Creek, opened Oct 1968
1969 – Roxy Theatre closed 18 Mar 1969
1971 – Twin Cinemas, corner of Sturt St and Blackwood St, opened Thurs 26 Aug 1971. Opened as two different cinemas (same building), Forum and Odeon (each with its own entrance). Later called Townsville Twin.
First Provincial Twin Cinema in Australia.
1971 – Astor Theatre closed 1971
1973 – WARRINA Cineplex is a privately owned and run cinema by Barry and Joyce Hendy and their son Michael (and other family members). The cinema was opened in 1973 as a single screen, a second was added in 1985, screens three and four were added in 1990
1975 – RANGE DRIVE-IN, Hervey’s Range Rd, Willows, opened Anzac Day 26 April 1975
1980 – Norline Drive-in closed in 1980’s?
1987 – OMNIMAX opened 1987
1990 – BCC4 opened
1990 – Stuart Drive-in closed in 1990’s
1996 – READING CINEMAS – Cannon Park. 6 Cinemas, 26/12/1996
2000 – Range Drive-in closed Sep 2000
2012 – Omnimax closed
2014 – EVENT Theatres opened 12 Dec 2014
