Cobram Community Cinema opens in partnership with Cobram Youth Group, Cobram Masonic Lodge

The red carpet has been rolled out for the grand opening of Cobram’s community cinema. Here’s how a simple youth camp idea brought the project to life.

Rob Morey, Meg Drew and Josh Drew were all involved in the Cobram Youth Group camp where the idea for a cinema was sparked.

What started as an idea at a Cobram youth camp eight years ago has turned into a $1.3 million reality for the Goulburn Valley town.

The Cobram Community Cinema had its official opening on Wednesday to a beaming crowd of locals – although films will not begin running until next month.

None were more excited than Rob Morey, who was a camp facilitator for the Cobram Youth Group in 2012 when the idea was generated.

“September 13, 2012, will be a red-letter day for 96 young people who were asked: ‘What do the youth of Cobram want for the youth of Cobram?’,” Mr Morey said.

“Unanimously a cinema was the answer.”

The 56-seat cinema.

Founding Cobram Youth Club members and brother-sister duo Meg and Josh Drew remember throwing around ideas at that camp.

Their fixation on the silver screen was no doubt influenced by their memories of their former town cinema – the historic Melba Theatre – go up in flames in April 2010.

“It wasn’t something that impacted just us – the whole community was devastated,” Ms Drew said.

“That’s why we thought the idea for a new cinema would be the go, and help the town get back what they lost,” Mr Drew said.

With the nearest cinema a long drive away in Shepparton, the project garnered 4,000 signatures in support in 2013, but it was Mr Morey who took the next steps to make it happen.

Supported by the Gobram Youth Group’s Emily Gough, Mr Morey led a cinema committee, who included “a cinema expert, an IT man, an insurance man, and a building person” among others.

The 86-seat cinema.

But it came with significant support from community organisations and all levels of government.

In 2015, the Freemasons got in contact with Mr Morey and offered the Cobram Masonic Lodge on Main St – rent free – for the next 45 years.

Moira Shire mayor Libra Mustica was the builder of the cinema, with council also providing $247,600 in-kind funding.

Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum, who described the cinema as “one of the most amazing projects I’ve ever been associated with”, secured $526,000 from the Commonwealth.

In addition, the committee had the idea of making a “star walk” with individualised pavers, which raised $140,000, a number of other organisations each donated more than $50,000.

Federal Member for Nicholls Damien Drum with Cobram Secondary College students.

Mr Morey said the two cinemas had 86 and 56-seat capacity respectively, and once running next month, would show four films a day, with some big name new releases.

The cinema would be run by a young manager, staff and volunteers, providing another opportunity for the region’s youth to get hospitality experience and be involved in the community.

But Mr Morey said it would be something for everyone to enjoy in the years to come.

“It‘s just going to be a positive for all the years but it’s also helps the older generation as to as we’ve got nothing in Cobram at all,” he said.

“It’s going to be great for the town.”

Visit the Cobram Community Cinema Facebook page.

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