On February 18 1954, an advertisement appeared in the Melbourne Sun; "Opening tonight at 6:30 Australia's first drive-in theater". The Skyline in Burwood, a Melbourne suburb, became the first of more than 330 drive-ins that were built across Australia and changed the way Australians saw movies forever.

Welcome to the Drive-ins Downunder web site - a tribute to the drive-in theaters of Australia and the world.

Well it is about time I share with you that my long awaited Australian Drive-in Theatre book is well under way. As many of you know, I have been gathering information and researching for over two decades now and I thank every one of you for sending me stories and photos. I would still love to see any drive-in pictures you may have, so if you would like to share them, you can either scan them or post them so I can copy and return them.

If you are in Victoria be sure to visit Australia's largest drive-in, the Lunar Dandenong in Melbourne. For all of the session details seewww.lunardrive-in.com.au Add it to your favourites right away. Dromana is now back with all three screens firing for Summer. If you are in the north of Melbourne then Village Coburg is your closest drive-in, if only they could do something about the lights on the football oval behind screen 2! Perth still has the Galaxy at Kingsley, Adeliade the Gepps Cross Mainline, S.E. QLD, Yatala and Sydney has Blacktown. There are others too scattered around rural WA and Nth Queensland, so explore the site before your next trip and visit a drive-in. Remember you only need to visit your local drive-in once per year, if every movie-goer did that there would be dozens more still in business!

Val Morgan once were a great supporter of drive-in theatres. Sadly today they descriminate against drive-ins and advertisers. On the same week a movie runs at Lunar Dandenong and various other multiplexes in the area, the drive-in has one film-ad on that film, the multiplex has 8 film-ads on that same film. So what you may ask, well over twice as many people see the film at the drive-in compared to the multiplex! Why do Val Morgan schedule the ads at a Hoyts or Village multiplex in this fashion? Hoyts and Village bailed Val Morgan out from bankruptcy a few years back. So Val Morgan appear to be paying back the large chains for this help and independent drive-ins and cinemas, and especially the advertisers get ripped off once again. You may consider the ads not an important part of the drive-in experince, but the revenue they bring in helps keep the admission price down. You can let advertisers and Val Morgan know how you feel about it here email Val Morgan.

Your support emails have made a difference with a marked upswing in advertisers at independent drive-ins, thanks to every one of you who has emailed to date. Ford, Fosters, Holden and various government agencies now have their ads running where more people will see them, at the drive-in!

If you want to create your own drive-in at home in the yard check out Super 8 Centre. It sells the last of the old Australian drive-in speakers! These were once common, but when these are gone that is it.

One of Hollywoods biggest comedy names of the 1920's was Snub Pollard. His hilarious and inventive one and two reel comedy shorts were popular all over the world. He was born right here in Melbourne, Australia. If you have any old films, photos, cuttings or information, I am always buying items to add to my collection.

David Kilderry Summer 2008/2009

The information, text and photos contained in this site remain the property of Drive-ins Downunder and the Curtis James Collection unless specified otherwise.

If you wish to copy or publish content from this site, link to this site or seek further information on drive-in theaters, please email Buddy. All photos and information contributed to this site will be gratefully acknowledged.