The Skyline Drive-in

The Skyline Drive-in was opened on 21st December 1954. Although it was listed as in Preston, it was actually on the corner of Gremel Road and Plenty Road in Reservoir. Operated by Hoyts, it was the second drive-in to open in Melbourne following the Burwood Skyline Drive-in. The first film screened was Broken Arrow featuring James Stewart. The drive-in offered a barbecue steak in the restaurant, meals from the snack bar and the opportunity for the ‘kiddies’ to ‘romp at the playground’. The drive-in was designed by Harold Bartlett from the firm A. C. Leith, Bartlett & Partners of St Kilda Road.    

The drive-in was built behind a quarry. The drive-in had competition in 1964 with the construction of the Olympic Twin drive-in in Murray Road Preston. In the late 1970’s Preston drive-in was equipped with Kinoton FP20 projectors.    In 1982 the name changed to Preston Drive-in. It was closed in 1984 when Hoyts and Village merged and closed six drive-ins on the same night. The site is now the Stockland Latrobe Retirement Village. 

Australia and New Zealand - Cinema & Theatre Database. Retrieved July 14, 2020, from http://www.caths.org.au/venues/pdf/vicn.pdf Carroll, Brian & Rule, Ian (1985). Preston: an Illustrated History. Preston: City of Preston. P. 150 

Drive-in Theatres Move Planned (1954, December 31). The Sydney Morning Herald, p. 4. Preston Skyline, Hoyts. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from  http://drive-insdownunder.com.au/preston-skyline-hoyts/ Roe, K (2020).

Hoyts Preston Drive-In. Retrieved from http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/53677