West Busselton, Australia: Outdoor Movies at the Busselton Drive-In Outdoor Cinema
The Busselton Drive-In Outdoor Cinema is the last remaining country drive-in still operating in Western Australia — and it is heritage-listed. Situated in the South West Region, it offers double features on most nights, with car radio tuned to 92.5 FM or 1350 AM (or traditional in-car speakers) and the snack bar open every screening. Adults will enjoy the nostalgia; children can burn off energy on the play equipment before the show begins. “Come as you are in the family car!”
The Drive-In has always screened two films per admission, except for unusually long features like “Titanic” or “Lord of the Rings.” With the introduction of daylight savings and later start times, some nights now feature a single film.
Admission: Adults $14 • Children ages 4–14 $7 • Senior/Disability/Loyalty card $10
History of the Busselton Drive-In
The Busselton Drive-In Outdoor Cinema was built in 1960 for the late William Allan Jones, trading as Allan Jones Circuit Pictures. In 1982 the business became Jones Cinewest Drive-Ins P/L, which operated three other drive-ins across the region (Manjimup, Margaret River, and Kojonup) alongside Busselton. At their peak there were over 80 drive-ins in Western Australia; fewer than a handful now remain.
The Drive-In has a capacity of 200 cars and still uses the original Westrex NTS RCA in-car speakers, supplemented by FM and AM radio. The original 1960s projectors and sound equipment have since been replaced with Ballantyne projectors, Strong Super Lumex Xenon lamp houses, Auditec amplifiers, a Panastereo cinema processor, and FM/AM transmitters. The outdoor movie screen measures approximately 22 metres wide by 20 metres high, rebuilt in all-steel construction to withstand winds above 150 kph.
The Busselton Shire heritage-listed the Drive-In for its social significance. It has operated every year since opening, closing only 2–3 months in winter. In 2004 it was featured on Channel 9’s Postcards WA as a must-visit attraction.