The Wintergarden Project 2009

My introduction to the Townsville Wintergarden Theatre was during the mid to late 1960's. I remember going to the movies to see "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" with my Father & Sister and falling in love with the place. I'm sure I had been there earlier, but it was that time in particular that sticks in my memory.

My father bought tickets for the Dress Circle and an usherette showed us to our seats, as the house lights had already dimmed. Music quietly played to set the mood and relax the patrons, and the domed ceiling glowed softly overhead. As it faded into darkness, the murmur of voices followed and I never wanted to leave.

Some time later I became involved in amateur theatre, performing in a number of dramas and musicals. The roles varied from bit parts to lead roles, and amongst it all I managed to direct a few as well as produce. All the while hoping against hope that one day I would get to perform on stage at the Wintergarden. It never happened.

Over the years, I would walk, ride or drive past the Grand Old Picture Palace as it slowly deteriorated and couldn't help but feel sad as the memories of a past age faded.

During the early 1980's I had an idea to build a Balsa Wood model of the theatre, all I needed was some reference material. The Townsville City Library had some wonderfull photographs in their Local Collection as well as some newspaper articles, I signed and dated the guest book and went off on another tangent. I did a little hunting and discovered the Town Planners office had a set of Architectural Drawings that would make the job easier. All I needed was permission from the owners of the building to get copies. They told me who to contact, I was denied. No reason given!

I was a little put off by this response, so I put my idea on hold for a while. Plans to have the theatre renovated were put forth by a number of interested parties, but nothing ever became of these.

It became a haunt for homeless people and fell victim to vandals. Finally in 1991 it was demolished. I was devistated, although I have never had any real connection to the Wintergarden other than watching movies there as a child. There was a great feeling of loss not unlike losing a friend.

Since then I've married, my wife and I have 7 beautiful children, a real handful! Over drinks one night, a friend of mine mentioned the Wintergarden and my eldest boy wanted to know what it was. I thought the best possible way to explain to a child of 10, and keep him interested, would be to create a 3D walkthrough.

If I could create an accurate rendering of the theatre, showing it in detail, and making it like a game, my children would be more inclined to take notice. They may even want to learn more about the theatre or the history of Townsville. I have a decent computer, a damn good 3d program and an almost enough skill to get the job done.

During the course of my research, this time, I discovered my own name in the guest book at the Townsville City Library. I had completely forgotten about my original idea for a model. This made me more determined to complete this project. Which brings me to now!

So far, I have recieved a great amount of reference from a wide range of sources, but the search isn't over yet. Unfortunately, there aren't many people left alive that were directly involved with the theatre. Most of them that I've found have been only to pleased to tell me about their time there, but not many have photos. As I progress with this project I will update this site, not only with pics of my model, but with whatever history I can discover and maybe a story or two. This site is mainly for my children, but if you like what you see let me know and if you have any photos don't hide them away.