NSW                  

Location:  Regent Theatre Wollongong,

Threat:      Inappropriate Redevelopment

This splendid building is one of the last remaining grand cinema theatres in NSW. Designed by Reginald J Magoffin and built in the mid 1950s, the theatre is of state significance as a rare and still intact large capacity (1630 seat) cinema, yet it faces the threat of severely compromising redevelopment.

The Regent is one of the few remaining grand cinemas still retaining its dress circle, original furnishings and equipment, including its original ‘Cinemascope’ screen. Its aesthetic significance is enhanced by the almost totally original nature of the interior and exterior of the theatre.

The design characteristics of its auditorium, vestibule, foyer and facade are unique in NSW.

The original ‘beautifully simple’ auditorium with its criss-crossed curved ceiling pattern and, hundreds of star lights remains as fresh as when it was first created by leading avant-garde designer, Marion Hall Best.

The Theatre has deep historic associations with the Illawarra area. It was built by the family of the pioneering cinema entrepreneur Herbert Wyndham Jones, whose efforts had first brought silent movies to the region, and has continued - and should be able to continue - to provide the rare theatrical experience of going to a grand cinema for generations of Wollongong families.