Opened: 1960’s
Location: South Gippsland Hwy, Leongatha, Victoria
Capacity: 400
Screens: One
Operator: Whitaker
Closed: late 1980’s
It was the country drive-in that I knew the best, drove past it many times and saw movies there as well. I therefore have absolutely no excuse for not taking at least one photo of it while it was in operation!
A typical RCA country drive-in complete with indoor viewing room for patrons without cars, all in a town of 4,500 people. It did pull from nearby resort areas in Summer and this is how I got to know the Leongatha drive-in. It is where I saw one of the best Australian films made; “Newsfront”. Several weeks prior to this in 1978, the drive-in made front page local news, a wayward crop-duster pilot missed the planned field and dusted several hundred cars at the drive-in with pesticide instead. Now I’m no expert on Agent Orange and the like, but I know that would not have done the paint-job on the Charger any good at all!
In later years the drive-in was reduced to Summer operation only, and then failed to operate at all. The last time I saw it standing someone was living in the snack bar. It is now a golf driving range and all the romance and intrigue of another passion pit is gone.
