Australia So Much to See

Cummins Theatre is a unique part of the town’s cultural heritage, and owes its existence in Merredin to James Cummins, who was the Mayor of Kalgoorlie and owner of both the Merredin and Kalgoorlie breweries.

The first tenants, William and Susan Brown, had the theatre equipped for sound production when ‘talkies’ were still relatively unknown. At that time, only one other theatre in Western Australia and five in Australia were equipped to show sound films. ‘The Singing Fool’ with Al Jolson was shown on 31 October, 1928, with ‘Behind the Curtain’ starring Myrna Loy being shown the following week.

Operated for many years as a picture theatre, this outstanding and historic building was taken over by the Shire of Merredin in 1973.

The theatre was restored in 1992, when a new backstage area was added. Cummins Theatre is currently used by the local Repertory Club, established in 1933, and frequent shows by visiting artists.

Mr Cummins purchased the Tivoli Theatre, which had been built in Coolgardie in 1897, and had it dismantled and sent in pieces to Merredin by train. The structure is largely pressed bricks salvaged from several old Coolgardie hotels, and according to folklore these bricks contain three penny-weights of gold to the ton. The theatre’s stage, decking and seating of imported Oregon timber were originally part of the Tivoli, and the fly tower is made from imported Oregon timber. The ornate pressed ceiling was also retained. The theatre still houses the original ticket box from the Tivoli. The thirty year old Theatre was rebuilt where it stands today on Bates Street. Cummins Theatre, renamed in honour of its founder, opened to the public on the 10th October, 1928.

There is a Bicentennial Plaque on the southern entrance pillar with the following inscription:

31 Bates Street, Cummins Theatre

This theatre was built in 1928 by James Cummins, largely with bricks salvaged from old Coolgardie hotels and reputed to contain three penny-weights of gold to the ton. The stage, decking and seating came from the Tivoli Theatre in Coolgardie.

The theatre was one of the first in the State to be equipped for sound production.

Corner of Bates and Mitchell Streets Merredin. The former National Bank building is now occupied by an accountancy firm. The former residence behind is now the office for the North Eastern Wheatbelt Business Enterprise Centre. Merredin Palace Chinese Restaurant occupies the former Ochiltree building to the right in this photo.

Brewery House

The Kalgoorlie Brewing and Ice Co Commenced in 1896 with James Cummins on the board of directors. In 1904 Cummins, Kalgoorlie’s mayor for two years, became managing director. Cummins commissioned several buildings in Merredin, including establishing a branch of Kalgoorlie Brewing in 1929 with his daughter Alice Cummins and managing director. See above for James Cummins Cummins Theatre, a striking historic building in Merredin.

After he died, his daughter Alice ran the breweries until her death in 1945, with the Merredin ale house producing Kalgoorlie Bitter and Oatmeal Stout as well as its own Merredin Bitter and Westland-Lager.

The former brewery buildings in Pollock Avenue were then used as an accommodation hostel in the 1950s for students from outlying areas, with girls accommodated in the main house, and boys in a separate house. The latter was destroyed in a fire in 1954. The property is now classified by the National Trust and the house is a well restored private residence, known locally as Brewery House. It is not open to the public.

Ochiltree Motors (former) c1932 is at the corner of Bates and Mitchell Streets. Merredin Palace Chinese Restaurant commenced at this location in 1995. After suffering a fire in 2017, the building was repaired and operating again as a popular venue.

References:

Alice Mary Cummins

Lister house

Merredin Heritage List (Draft)

Merredin municipal heritage inventory

Inherit Merredin Entries

Inherit - Merredin Agricultural Bank

Merredin Business list (not up to date)

Cummins Theatre History

Follow our touring around Merredin on the following pages

25 Bates Street National Bank with residence (former) 1925 is an appealing building, with the bank building now occupied by an accountancy business. The residence now is used by the North Eastern Wheatbelt Business Enterprise Centre.

In 1991, an extension was built on the south side of the theatre, adding a kitchen, bar and function space to the theatre; named The Tivoli after the original Coolgardie theatre.

The Tivoli Room is suitable for conferences and functions.

Merredin District Hall represents the prosperity and optimism of Merredin in the 1920s. The clock tower is a landmark visible from many places around Merredin. It is a focal point of the building, and the civic cultural environment that encompasses the Court House.

Turning east along Mitchell Street brings us to the Old Town Hall, currently tenanted by Mia Davies MLA, member for the Central Wheatbelt electorate, and parliamentary leader of the National WA Party until her resignation from that position in 2023.

This Hall was constructed in 1925 as an addition at the front of the Merredin District Hall (1912-1975), with the original District Hall being demolished in 1975.

The three-storey clock tower is a unique World War One memorial, with the clock workings designed by J. W. Benson, Queen Victoria’s clock maker, as a smaller replica of his Big Ben clock in Westminster.

The clock in this tower was erected by the residents of the district in memory of those soldiers who laid down their lives in the great war 1914 -1918.

This tablet was unveiled by Brigadier General A.J. Bessell-Browne C.B. C.M.G. D.S.O V.D.

on 25th April 1928

Brigadier General Bessell-Browne was a veteran of the Boer War and World War 1.

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