Our original home base
 


The Children's Theatre Company of Victoria has its historical and 'spiritual' home in Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia. Prior to 1979, our home base was the splendid, though dilapidated, Union Theatre. Built by the local branch of the Australian Miner's Federation in the 1920s — Wonthaggi was established as a State-owned coal mining town in 1909 — it was the NSW-based union's only remaining asset in Victoria once the State Coal Mine closed in 1968.

The Union offered the Wonthaggi Theatrical Group, its principal tenant, the chance to buy the building for a nominal sum and the Group eagerly accepted. However, by 1975, following a series of financial setbacks due to disastrously times strikes by unions in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria's electricity powerhouse, the group found itself unable to pay the mortgage — until The Hobyahs arrived as a smash-hit summer panto and saved the day. The show was a co-production between what would become The Children's Theatre Company of Victoria and the Wonthaggi Theatrical Group, and all proceeds went toward paying the mortgage.

Over the next couple of years it managed to meet its commitment as a result of continuing co-productions between us, but we all knew it was only a matter of time before something would have to be done. The theatre needed extensive repairs and, eventually, it was forced to close for failing to meet new health regulations.

A proposal was made to the Ministry for the Arts for a $350,000 grant to upgrade and renovate the building into a performing and fine arts complex, and the grant was approved, much to our excitement.

As a conditions of the grant, since public funds were involved, the group had to hand over the title to the property to the local Council to ensure that the building remained in community hands. The Council paid out the balance of the mortgage to the Miner's Federation and plans were made for renovations.

In 1979, the day after the weatherboard building was handed over to the Council, it burned to the ground in a matter of 30-40 minutes. But all was not lost — the Council had insured the building for a substantial sum and soon announced plans for a superb new arts centre on the site.

The new complex, named the Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre, opened in 1980, and most of the ensuing co-productions by The Children's Theatre Company of Victoria have had their premieres there. The centre features one of the finest theatres in provincial Victoria.

The Arts Centre was our home base from 1980-1986, then from 2002-2005. (We're now located in Melbourne.)

It's a matter of continuing satisfaction to know that we played a seminal role in gaining this outstanding facility for our community.