The Cinema and Theatre Historical Society of Australia

Cinema in Prahran, VIC

The Cinema and Theatre Historical Society of Australia was formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1989

The Society’s aims are - To foster an interest in the architecture, history and heritage of cinemas and theatres in Australia; Record the history of cinemas and theatres in the form of books, magazines and audiovisual materials; To maintain an archive collection of cinema-related documents, photos, etc; Provide public access to the collection for the purpose of cinema research  and related matters; Seek to preserve theatre and cinema buildings and artefacts; Organise events to facilitate inspections for documenting and photographing of cinema venues; and Conduct regular meetings for members.

CATHS meetings generally include a guest speaker or a presentation on an aspect of cinema history. Our meetings also include theatre news, activity reports and general happenings from within the industry. Interval includes a break for coffee and a chat. After the meeting, members usually meet at a nearby venue for lunch and friendly discussions.

You are most welcome to come along to our meetings to 'try us out'! If you love going to the movies or the theatre, are interested in theatre heritage and architecture, or perhaps you have worked in cinema or the performing arts... then why not join CATHS!

Membership is $50 per year, which includes the CATHS quarterly magazine CinemaRecord. For overseas membership, please contact the Secretary for details.