THERE is a business in Winton that has an absolutely magical mix of ingredients within its enterprise.
It’s run by Graham and Louise Dean and incorporates an open air movie theatre, opals, bush poetry and good coffee.
The Royal Theatre is the crowning glory of the mix. The open air theatre was built in 1938 on the site of the first Royal, which was constructed in 1918 when silent movies were all the rage. Every Wednesday night (and often other nights as well) from April to September, a picture show brings back all the memories of times gone by, starting with the old pre-show slide advertisements and screening everything from comedy shorts to historic Winton footage. It starts with a talk on the history of the Royal, and finishes with tea and biscuits.
The theatre also features a push-button ‘talkie’ - a digital sound machine that tells the history of the picture theatre for people who visit during the day. Also see what is surely the biggest deck chair in the world. It’s 7m long and 5m wide!
Take the Opal Walk at Wookatook Gift and Gem. The walk is a passageway that features a display on western Queensland opal fields and leads right into the theatre. It’s popular with people who don’t have time to see the opal fields as well as with those who want to try their luck at the Opalton mining reserve.
If the only way you like to see an opal is as a beautiful finished product, you don’t need to go any further than Wookatook Gift and Gem Centre, which specialises in boulder opals, both rough and cut. There’s even an opal barrel of roughs where you can ‘fossick’ in air-conditioned comfort.
Graham and Louise Dean, both well known in Winton through the Bronze Swagman Bush Poetry Awards, have expanded the gift section and have also added a little art gallery featuring mostly local artists’ work – including Louise’s. Their own poetry books are available from the store too.
The complex is open from 8.30am to 5.00pm seven days from April to September. From October to March it is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm weekdays and from 9.00am to 1.00pm Saturdays.
Reopened in recent years and a hit with visitors and locals alike is the Royal Coffee Shop, which was originally the entrance to the theatre. Have an espresso and light lunch there.
Just a last note. Just for fun, you might like to ask Graham what Wookatook means ...
Bronze Swagman Awards book picks up award of its own
TThe Bronze Swagman Bush Poetry Awards, probably the most prestigious bush poetry competition in Australia, publishes a book of the contest’s winning poetry.
The Bronze Swagman Book of Bush Verse 2008 – produced by the Winton Business and Tourism Association - tied for first place in the Australian Bush Laureate Awards Book of the Year, Original Verse.
The Bush Laureate’s Bush Poem of the Year went to Val Read and her poem, ‘Brolga Dreaming’, which appeared in the book.
