Galaxy Drive-In Cinema, Kingsley

Statement of Significance

The Galaxy Drive-In Cinema has historic significance as one of the last drive-ins built and is representative of an iconic place type from a specific time period. It has rarity value as the only remaining drive-in located in the Perth metropolitan area. It has social significance to the local and wider community for its continuity of use.

Physical Description

The Galaxy Drive-In Cinema is located on a 1.5ha lot in Kingsley opposite Lake Goollelal. The place consists of a drive-in screen in one corner of the lot, with the projection house in the opposite corner. The projection house is a red brick, single storey building that also contains the café and toilet block. The surface of the lot is coated with bitumen tarmac, with upright speaker stands at regular intervals across the lot. The screen is made from steel frame with a flat white screen at the front. The entrance to the drive-in is via an uphill road, which results in an elevated view across the lake area. The entrance is via two large, steel gates. Prior to development of the adjacent residential lot, both gates led into the drive-in area. Access is currently via the left gate. The perimeter shows a neon sign advising that this is the Galaxy Drive-In. The entire lot is surrounded by vegetation and a blue Colorbond fence.

History

The boom of Perth’s suburban drive-ins began with the opening of ‘The Highway’, Bentley, in October 1955. Over the following two years, three more drive-ins were opened, reaching a combined capacity of 6,000 cars. Within four years there were no less than ten drive-ins in Perth. In 1957 Perth’s fi fth drive-in, the Metro of Innaloo, opened with considerable fanfare. A throng of 300 people were invited to the gala opening, including members of Parliament, civic leaders, heads of commerce and of industry. In all, eight drive-in cinemas opened in Perth metropolitan area in the 1950s, a further nine in the 1960s, and five in the 1970s. This included the Galaxy Drive-in Cinema at Kingsley. In country areas the introduction of drive-in cinemas was slower, with just three established in the 1950s. This changed rapidly and numbers soon grew to more than sixty in regional areas by the late-1960s. The Galaxy Drive-in Cinema in Kingsley was built in 1972, at a time when the introduction of color TV, combined with the rise in property values, caused city drive-ins to decline. At the time the area surrounding the Galaxy Drive-in was undeveloped bushland. By the end of 1970s, Whitfords Avenue had been constructed to the north, and the nearby areas had been cleared for residential development to commence in the early-1980s. During the mid-1990s the northern portion of the Galaxy Drive-in car park was subdivided and sold, with new houses being constructed on the land. The semicircular car parking space was made smaller, but the café, toilet block and screen were not relocated to accommodate the reduction in parking. Apart from this subdivision, little has changed to the Galaxy Drive-in since its construction. The predominant change has occurred in the delivery of sound associated with the cinematography: film sound is no longer projected into cars via speaker poles, it is now delivered through car radios. In 2023, the Galaxy Drive-In Cinema is rare as the only one in operation in the Perth metropolitan area. There are only two surviving country drive-ins; at Koorda (constructed 1965) and Port Denison (constructed 1966). The Galaxy Drive-In offers a regular screening of movies and is a popular entertainment venue.

Condition

Fair - assessed from street view only

Creation Date

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