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Uploaded on: July 21, 2024

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New Empress Theatre 12 Garden Street, Melbourne, VIC

Photo & Notes by Rob Gabriel -

The Cinema was known as the Williamstown’s Open Air Pavilion then renamed to the Empress Pavilion and finally the New Empress Theatre, the locals called it the “Bug House” located at 30 Garden St Williamstown. The site was also a roller skating rink early last century known as Greenies.

The theatre was re-modeled in 1939 (refer to the photos mounted on this page) In the auditorium the colour scheme is green wine & amber, while the proscenium lighting and drapes are in a rich gold colour.

In 1960, The New Empress Theatre was closed and the venue was re purposed first as a roller-skating rink, then later a table tennis centre. Before the WISC came about, local Italian families would meet in surrounding parks for social gatherings and book halls for dinner dances.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -