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Saved . . . Ken Dwyer, Mike Heffernan and planning manager James Davies rallied to defence of the historic cinema in Junee. Photo: Stephen Beazley

Not curtains yet for old cinema

By Geraldine O'Brien

Heritage Writer

Sydney Morning Herald

June 3 2003

The dwindling number of country cinemas has been spared another loss with the NSW Government's decision to put an interim heritage order on Junee's historic Athenium Theatre.

Junee Shire Council had wanted to demolish the 1928 building, which had been restored in the late 1990s by local prisoners, saying the site was needed for a new medical centre.

But a group of local residents, including XPT train driver Mark Mulhearn and newsagent Ken Dwyer, rallied to its defence.

The richly decorated blue and gold cinema opened in October 1929. It was designed by Kaberry and Chard , responsible also for the Tumut Montreal and the Leeton Roxy, as well as Glebe's Valhalla. The Athenium was still relatively intact, having been used most recently for discos and school functions.

"The council decided we needed to demolish it for a medical centre, and I'm 110 per cent behind that," Mr Dwyer said. "But there are any number of other sites available. We should be enlivening the town by keeping our heritage."

Mr Mulhearn said the building was part of a heritage conservation area identified in the council's own local environment plan, and "the LEP is the law, not some book of helpful hints".

The group prepared a letter of objection which was sent in by 240 of the town's 4000 residents. Mr Mulhearn said: "We believe from a councillor that about two-thirds objected to their proposal with only about one third in favour."

But the issue did split the community, Mr Dwyer said, "because people were under the impression that if they didn't knock it down they wouldn't get the medical centre.

"It's a real shame because we're only a small town and we shouldn't be split over this. I believe our future's in our old buildings and I believe if we can get funding this will become the best looking building in its precinct."

The National Trust - which campaigns energetically for the preservation of country cinemas - wrote to the council saying such buildings can be vital in maintaining the social fabric of country towns.

Because the Athenium is one of the oldest surviving cinemas and also within the trust's Junee urban conservation area, it won the trust's support for the interim order.

In announcing the order, the assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Diane Beamer, said that in 1951 there had been 378 picture theatres in regional NSW of which "only a handful" remained unaltered and "fewer still operate as as cinemas".


Follow ups

Jadda Centre: Friends of the Athenium. 4. SHR - Notice of intention to list (Heritage Council, NSW)...

www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/shragendanov2003.pdf

Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, NSW Government - Media Releases

http://dipnr.nsw.gov.au/mediarel/mn20030821_2253.html


DIANE BEAMER, NSW Planning Minister, Release, re: The Jadda Centre, formerly known as the Athenium and Broadway Theatre

www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/mediareleases/jadda_minister.pdf

NSW Government Gazettal:

http://www.cms.dpws.nsw.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/ehqsgo7nyie4umngascyyrveyy4o52ls4onn4zxspqaevwtisht6ku2u4n4xxh27hzhctacnbctnnkc4btcaju4ppqa/No.+91+of+2003.PDF