Goldfields town sees reopening of Drive-In theatre

The town of Leinster in Western Australia’s Goldfields region has reopened its Drive-In movie theatre after six years.

With entertainment restricted during the Western Australia’s COVID-19 shutdown, the Leinster Sport and Recreation Association (LSRA) echoed what other entertainment operators did around the wordl and reopened the town's drive-in.

As reported by the ABC, for more than three decades, drive-in movies were a significant part of Australia's entertainment culture. At its peak there were around 330 across the country, but now there are less than 20.

The 1970s was the high point for the industry, there were around 100 drive-ins in Western Australia alone.

Now only three are still in operation - one in the Perth suburb of Kingsley and the two others in the regional towns of Dongara and Koorda.

LSRA President Marc Trenfield, who worked on the opening and said a third of the town's population turned out for the first screening, told the ABC “the novelty behind it was not lost on people, a lot of people were quite excited.

"A lot of people I spoke to had never been to a drive-in before. It was probably only the older people that actually had memories of drive-ins."

As reported recently by the ABC, for more than three decades, drive-in movies were a significant part of Australia's entertainment culture. At its peak there were around 330 across the country, but now there are less than 20.

The 1970s was the high point for the industry, there were around 100 drive-ins in Western Australia alone.

Now only three are still in operation - one in the Perth suburb of Kingsley and the two others in the regional towns of Dongara and Koorda.

Images: The Leinster Drive-In has officially reopened after six years. (Supplied: Leinster Sport and Recreation Association).