18/03/2026
to Campbell's Strand Picture Stadium in 1917!
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| Campbell's Strand Picture Stadium 🎬✨
A sea of hats, a few umbrellas, and a very full crowd — but this wasn’t just a day out in Townsville.
This photo shows Campbell’s Strand Picture Stadium on Flinders Street West, built in 1917 by Mr W. Campbell. An open-air theatre that became a familiar entertainment spot for locals — though on this particular day, the focus wasn’t on the screen.
📅 19 August 1917
Instead of a film, the venue was hosting a union meeting during the Great Northern Railway Strike, part of the nationwide industrial unrest known as “The Great Strike.” Even places built for leisure became gathering points during major moments in history.
Over the years, the site went by several names:
🎞️ Campbell City Pictures
🎞️ Campbell Strand Pictures
🎞️ Townsville Picture Palace
🎞️ West End Theatre
Many residents may remember it later as the Roxy Theatre, operated by Birch, Carroll and Coyle (we shared more on that in our Flashback Friday post on 31 October 2025).
Designed by architects Lynch & Hunt and built by James Collins, the theatre even had an early “technical issue” — a street light in Flinders Lane was shining into the venue and spoiling the films! The owners offered to pay to have it removed and re-erected elsewhere. Now that’s dedication to the movie-going experience.
From squinting past a street light in an open-air theatre to today’s cinemas and cosy lounge rooms at home, the way we watch films has certainly changed — but the memories of places like this still flicker on.
Do you have a favourite Townsville theatre memory? We’d love to hear your stories - https://bit.ly/42HrMZe 🎥💛
