The emotional argument that retaining the former Junee Athenium would be at the expense of gaining a new medical facility is unforgivable. Both facilities are important to the town and one should not be at the expense of the other.

The National Trust Regional Cinemas Campaign

For many years the Trust has campaigned for the protection, conservation and viable use of historic cinemas in country towns and

regional centres. A number of these cinemas have now been restored and brought back into productive use. They have become vital facilities helping to maintain the social fabric of country towns. They contribute in a meaningful way to the broader ‘health’ and ‘well-being’ of those towns. They provide a focus not only for film but broader community activities and entertainment.

But most importantly they ensure that younger people are not forced to travel to other more distant venues with all the concerns that this may entail not to mention the revenue lost to other towns and regional centres.

Most country towns no longer have an historic cinema. They don’t have this opportunity to revive film showings or provide a venue for public use. But in those towns that have such a facility local councils have often become deeply involved to the credit of all involved and the benefit of those towns. Local examples in southern New South Wales are the Leeton Roxy and Tumut Montreal Theatres.

Examples in northern New South Wales are the Dungog Theatre (Dungog Shire) and the Scone Civic (Scone Shire).

The Trust is urging Junee Council to reconsider its development proposal, to consider alternative sites for the proposed medical centre and to consider options for the restoration and recommissioning of this theatre along similar lines to the Tumut Montreal and Leeton Roxy Theatres.

• early construction date (1928), being one of the oldest surviving cinemas in country New South Wales;
• design by the renowned and prolific cinema architectural firm Kaberry and Chard;
• status as one of the few surviving relatively intact examples of their work; and
• projection room and early technology.

The former Athenium (Broadway) Theatre also has significance at the local level contributing to the Broadway Street streetscape and is sited within the National Trust’s Classified ‘Junee Urban Conservation Area’ entered on the Trust Register in 1980.

How you can help?  

You can help by talking with your friends and family and passing on the information in this Trust Alert.

Consider lodging a written objection to the demolition proposal with Junee Council and forwarding a copy to the National Trust and NSW Heritage Office (addresses below). Your contribution and the assistance of your friends and acquaintances could be crucial to the outcome.

JUNEE SHIRE COUNCIL

The General Manager
Junee Shire Council
PO Box 93
JUNEE NSW 2663