For sale: Could this be the end credits for the historic Coburg Drive-In cinema?
One of the largest remaining drive-in cinemas in Australia which has been entertaining Melburnians for generations has been put on the market for a cool $11 million.The Coburg Drive-In sits on a 8.1 hectare site in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and has been operating since November 1965 with three large screens thought to be the biggest in the southern hemisphere.
With three large screens thought to be the biggest in the southern hemisphere. Image: SuppliedThe current owner is Village Cinemas who will be looking to lease it for an initial 10-year term so the historical site remains safe in its current form until at least 2028. Enough time for another dozen or so Marvel comic films to be released.
As well as the large open space and screens, the site includes a retro-style diner, children's playground and the drive-in's iconic ticket booth — topped by an old yellow sedan, which is a landmark in itself.
The opening films at the drive-in were Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie and McHale's Navy which required a wired speaker to be placed in your vehicle. Today, you’re able to watch Johnny English Strikes Again and The Nun with the sound picked up through your car's radio.
With such a large space in a booming area, there is plenty of future potential for development once the 10-year lease term finishes up. Will Australian movie goers in 2028 still be keen to have date night at a drive-in? With a themed diner set almost 80 years in its past, it would certainly be a relic from a bygone era.
So if you’re keen to own a bit of Australian cinema and automotive history and have a spare $11 million lying around, you have until October 17, 2018 to place your bid.
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