THE Wimmera and southern Mallee have silo art, but not the glitz and glam of Quambatook’s redundant concrete ag landmark.
The wheatbelt town, south of Kerang, swells in population when it hosts its popular silo cinema events.
Quambatook Community Development Association president Laura O’Dwyer said when other towns were painting their silos, Quambatook took a different approach.
“We turned our silos into an outdoor theatre showing Australian movies under the marvellous Mallee night sky,” she said.
The association will screen their first public movie in more than two years with Strictly Ballroom to be projected on March 12, during the Labour Day long weekend.
Strictly Ballroom is the first Baz Luhrmann-directed film that the silo cinema has screened.
Starring Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice, Bill Hunter and Sonia Kruger, the 1992 Australian romantic comedy about a top ballroom dancer pairing with a plain, left-footed local girl after his maverick style earned him the disdain of his more conventionally minded colleagues.
Together, the pair give their all and make dreams of the national championship title come true.
Ms O’Dwyer said the association was very excited to invite crowds back after the COVID-19 hiatus.
“We’ve really missed the crowds and the atmosphere that comes with a silo cinema,” she said.
“The pre-movie chatter, the frocks and the buzz in the crowd that leads up to the movie, is as important as the movie to us.
“We love that our audience have a ball and that we see them come back to other movies bringing new friends along.
“It’s not just a bucket list item that you tick off, it’s something that you want to come back to even if you have seen the movie a million times.”
Cinema goers are encouraged to frock up and rock up, with Strictly Ballroom presenting many costume options for those wanting to join in the fun.
The silo cinema gates open at 7pm and the screening will kick off at sunset around 8.30pm.
There will be food and drinks for sale onsite, which includes the local community groups doing hot potatoes, barbecue and waffles. It is BYO chairs and blankets.
Tickets are now available, $10 adults and can be purchased online from https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=866017&
For more information, email quambysilocinema@outlook.com or visit Quamby Silo Cinema on Facebook.
