Greek heritage preserved at Bingara’s famous Roxy Theatre
Photograph: Shane Jacobson and Paul Hogan admire Bingara’s Roxy Theatre.
Greek_Heritage_Preserved_North_West_Magazine_Mar_31_2014_p_6.pdf
After years of planning and fundraising the vision of the Roxy Greek Museum is finally coming to fruition as the installation of the museum commenced last week in the downstairs wing of the Roxy Theatre, heralding the final chapter in the building’s magnificent return to glory.
Made possible by a $94,000 grant from the New South Wales ministry for Arts and several substantial donations from the Greek Australian Community. the Museum will be officially opened on Saturday, of April 5, by Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales with an opening as grand as the Roxy itself.
As part of the two-day event there will be guided tours of the museum, movie screenings in the beautiful Roxy theatre, talks by special guests and antique car displays.
The highlight of the weekend will be the Gala dinner held on the Saturday evening.
Bringing the glamour of the 1930s back to Bingara, the dinner will be an unforgettable evening of Greek feasting and festivity under the stars.
Guests will be invited to dance the night away to the live band Ha Va Le, one of the best Greek party bands performing in the country.
No Greek celebration would be complete without the smashing of plates, and the Gala Ball will be no exception.
The festivities continue on the Sunday with stalls and the launch of the Greek Immigration Olive Grove which will be marked by a tree planting ceremony held on Cunningham Street near the Roxy Café.
The olive trees will be planted in recognition of Greek Immigration to Australia.
Local community members and visitors will have the opportunity to pay tribute to a Greek family or friend who has made the journey to Australia by purchasing an olive tree for $100.
Participants are then required to provide a name and a brief description about them, which will appear on the Greek Museum website, and a tree will then be planted in tribute.
The first tree planted as part of the launch will be dedicated to the three Greek men who built the Roxy Theatre in 1936 – Emanuel Aroney, Peter Feros and George Psaltis.
Peter Prineas, the grandson of Peter Feros and the Greek museum curator, will plant the tree in their honour.
Six of the trees will be planted on Cunningham Street with the remainder of the trees to be planted at The Living Classroom.
The Roxy Museum is dedicated to the history of Greek settlement in country Australia.
It is envisioned the museum will become a place of national significance that conserves and protects the important cultural associations between people and place.
It will pay tribute to the remarkable legacy of the Greek café and cinema operators to ensure the impact they made on the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of people is not forgotten.
“The Greek Australian community is passionate about the Roxy because it is a living and working memorial to every Greek Australian who has migrated to Australia since 1817,” George Poulos, Roxy Greek Museum Committee and Secretary of the Kytherian Association of Australia, said.
“Eventually it will become a place of pilgrimage for every Greek in Australia and inevitably the world,” he added.
For more information or tickets to the event please call the Bingara Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6724 0066 or visit the Roxy website or for interview opportunities and photos please contact Georgia Standerwick, Roxy Manager.
More web links:
Program, History & Articles about the Roxy Greek Museum Opening
View/download .pdf of the Invitation, here:
Roxy March Promo (2).pdf
Roxy Invitation.pdf
ROXY HISTORY.pdf
Greek_Heritage_Preserved_North_West_Magazine_Mar_31_2014_p_6.pdf
NSW Governor to open Roxy Greek Museum
Download a .pdf version of this article here:
Bingara Advocte Weds Feb 5 2014 NSW Gov to open Roxy Museum.pdf
Bingara Advocte Weds April 9th 2014 Kytherian Celebrations.pdf
Roxy complex wins admiration from NSW Arts Minister, April 16th, 20114, page 4
Bingara's location
Buffer Map of the distances from Bingara to major cities of Kytherian and Hellenic population
Download a .pdf version of the buffer map here:
BingaraBufferDistance 20110208.pdf
Roxy Theatre, Gwydir Shire
Roxy THEATRE Main Page
Roxy CAFE Main Page
Roxy MUSEUM Main Page. Overview of the history of the Roxy, published in the Royal Historical Society magazine
Restoration of Kytherian and Hellenic Sacred sites
Katsehamos and the Great Idea, the BOOK, Main Page
75th Anniversary and official opening of the Roxy Cafe
Media Release Roxy's 75th Anniversary
Neos Kosmos article on Katsehamos and the Great Idea
A Night at the ROXY. Neos Kosmos
Nicholas Anthony Aroney Trust donates $25,000 to Roxy Museum
Roxy turns 75. The Senior News
Bingara_Advocate_March_23_04_2011.pdf
Happy 75th Birthday ROXY. Bingara Advocate
Αυστραλία: Γιόρτασαν όλοι μαζί την προσφορά των Ελλήνων
