Fire guts historic Austral Picture Theatre in Collingwood, deemed suspicious
Quick Look
- An overnight fire destroyed the former Austral Picture Theatre in Collingwood, Melbourne, a 105-year-old building opened in 1921 that later served as a rollerskating rink.
- Police and fire investigators are treating the blaze as suspicious, with an arson chemist on scene.
- The heritage-significant but unprotected building was abandoned despite prior community efforts to prevent its demolition for apartments.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Austral Picture Theatre opened in 1921 in Collingwood, Melbourne. It later became a rollerskating rink and was occupied by a carpet store before being abandoned. Despite plans to demolish it for an 11-storey apartment building in 2021, locals campaigned to preserve it due to its historical and architectural significance. The Heritage Council of Victoria noted it was not heritage-protected but regarded as locally significant.
In short:
An overnight fire has gutted the former Austral Picture Theatre in Collingwood.
The theatre opened in 1921 and later became a rollerskating rink, but was abandoned despite plans to demolish it for apartments.
What's next?
Police will investigate the blaze after it was deemed suspicious.
Police will investigate a fire that destroyed a historic theatre in Collingwood, in inner Melbourne.
Firefighters arrived in Johnston Street about 10:30pm to find thick smoke and flames coming from the double-storey Austral Picture Theatre building.
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said crews managed to stop the blaze from spreading to neighbouring properties.
It took well over an hour to control the fire.
The 105-year--old building was gutted.
FRV said the fire had been deemed suspicious.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said the building was abandoned and no-one was believed to have been inside during the fire.
An arson chemist has begun investigating the blaze.
The theatre was built in 1921.
The Heritage Council of Victoria said most of its original features had remained intact, but there had been some changes on the ground floor.
It said the Greek revival-style building was not heritage-protected but was regarded as locally significant for historical and architectural reasons.
It said the building's original owner, Robert McLeish, was linked with the Rivoli and other significant cinemas in Melbourne.
"It has local social and historic significance as a former long-term public building," the council's website stated.
The building was later turned into a rollerskating rink and was occupied by a carpet store.
In 2021, locals mounted a campaign against a plan to demolish the former theatre to build an 11-storey apartment building.
"Don't let the Austral Picture theatre with its intact interior be demolished like the former Star Lyric Theatre," a Protect Collingwood/Abbortsford social media post said at the time.
"The few remaining former picture theatres in Yarra are central to telling the story of their neighbourhood's social heritage."
The building has since remained abandoned, with no construction starting.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Victoria Police will complete their investigation and release findings on the cause of the fire.
Likely · Within weeks
There will be public debate about the future of the site, including potential redevelopment or memorialization.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What caused the fire?
- Was arson confirmed as the cause?
- Are there any suspects in the investigation?
- Will the site be redeveloped despite the fire damage?