Orana Drive-In

451 Albany Highway,
Orana, WA 6330

420 cars

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Additional Info

Functions: Pharmacy

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Orana Drive-In

Located on Albany Avenue at the corner of Lockyer Avenue in Orana, a suburb of Albany. The Orana Drive-In opened on 12th April 1960 with Burt Lancaster in “Trapeze”, and “Desert Sands”. The Orana Drive-In closed 28th February 1993 with “Dracula”, and “Single White Female”.

The Albany 2 Cinemas built next to drive-in, opened on 8th April 1993 with “The Bodyguard(1.45pm), "Reckless Kelly”(6.15pm), and “The Distinguished Gentleman(6pm). Albany 2 Cinemas changed name to Albany 3 Cinemas in July 1997. Now called Orana Cinemas. The ramps of the drive-in remained until 2014(?). The ramps are being used for a supermarket(Coles?), (and other shops as well?). The name Orana is an Australian Aborigine word meaning welcome, it was selected in a competition to name the drive-in(Albany Advertiser - 8th April 1960, page 20), it also gave the name of the suburb of Orana.

Contributed by David Coppock

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on July 22, 2015 at 7:16 am

Most of the ramps have been replaced with a Coles Supermarket(and other shops?),and a carpark(just recently opened?).

robboehm
robboehm on July 22, 2015 at 3:09 pm

David, there is no entry for the hardtop next to the drive-in which you mentioned. Will you be adding it to CT?

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on May 4, 2016 at 8:57 am

There is now an entry for the Orana Cinemas(hardtop0 as well.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on May 22, 2016 at 9:26 am

The remaining ramps and (concession/bio-box building?) is behind the Orana Cinemas building to the right of the building!

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on April 7, 2017 at 8:57 am

The Orana Drive-in had spaces for 400 cars! The screen measured 80 feet by 36 feet! The Orana Drive-in cost £7000 Australian Pounds to build on 15 acres of bushland! The first manager of the Orana Drive-in was Mr Ron Crispe! The Orana Drive-in was opened by Hos Worship the Major of Albany, Mr J. A. Barnesby M.B.E at 7.30pm.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on December 23, 2017 at 7:53 am

The snack bar(and bio box?) building is now a chemist(Friendies Chemist),

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on December 23, 2017 at 2:18 pm

Correction, the chemist is called Friendlies Chemist.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on December 25, 2017 at 2:32 pm

The chemist opened sometime(late?) in 2017.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on December 22, 2018 at 12:19 pm

The chemist is now called Orana Pharmacy(photo in photo section).

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on July 19, 2021 at 12:21 pm

375 cars(1960’s), 420 cars(1980’s). Exhibitor was Albany Drive-In Theatres - Mr Kanzler(from Regent Theatre, Albany), Orana Holdings P/L/Orana Drive in Cinemas Ltd.

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