Vasse Street, Forrest Drive-In

Arthur Dunn and collapsed big screen

Photo courtesy of South Western Times 6 August 1991

Forrest Drive-In opened on 20 August 1963, showing two movies, Battle in Outer Space and Gidget (reference). An approximate location is Vasse Street in Bunbury. 

Forrest Drive-In, Bunbury’s last drive-in, was forcibly shut by mother nature at the beginning of August 1991 when a storm with 60-knot winds collapsed its big screen. The South Western Times interviewed its last owner, Arthur Dunn and its last manager, Anthony Redman, about the event. The South Western Times 6 August 1991 reported that Anthony had just finished showing a film when he saw a flash of lightning in the screen’s direction. On investigation, the screen had collapsed. 

Aerial photograph of the Forrest Drive-In, Bussel Highway, Bunbury, 13 Jan. 1966

Photo courtesy of the State Library of Western Australia 259472PD

The Forrest Drive-In managed to remain open until 1991 despite low attendance, as it was relatively cheap to run. However, the destruction of the screen forcibly shut the complex as replacing it would have cost $200 000. 

Today the area now consists of Bunbury Honda, Bunbury Proton, Bunbury Kia and houses on Stirton Court as well as Vasse Street (reference).