About Us

The Lunar Drive-in Theatre Dandenong is the largest drive-in theatre in the Southern Hemisphere. We possess three massive screens that show all the latest blockbusters Hollywood has to offer. We are open every night of the year except Christmas night and run double features for less than the price of a single movie at a Hoyts or Village multiplex. In school holidays and on weekends we run family sessions where the entire carload can see a family orientated blockbuster for only $25.

The Lunar Cafe is open every night before and during the shows, our award winning chef supervises the preparation ofthe best hamburgers and hot snacks around all at very competitive prices. So come along early and enjoy a tasty meal before the films. You can sit in our indoor diner booths, or enjoy a balmy evening sitting in our outdoor section with a full view of screen two.

Our Dolby Stereo soundtracks are broadcast via your car's FM stereo, you can control the volume and settings to suit yourself. Our massive xenon arc lamps and Phillips TODD-AO projectors deliver the brightest and sharpest images of any large screen in the country. V-Max and Cinemaxx are dull and lifeless compared to our bright screens.

There are no parking problems, no babysitter concerns and you can come dressed as you are. The video games and kiddie rides are free every night! Come out to the Lunar Drive-in and enjoy a night watching movies under the stars in your cars.

History

The Lunar Dandenong opened on May 4, 1956 as the Dandenong Panoramic Drive-in Theatre with a single wooden screen and spaces for 650 cars. It was Melbourne's Olympic year and television was still 6 months away. It was one of the first 10 drive-in theatres built in Australia, the excitement generated by these early pre-television drive-in theatres was enormous. Cars lined up for miles in an attempt to get into one of two sessions per evening. The opening film was the B grade action film "Assignment Paris". The food offering boasted BBQ's, fish grills and service par excellence.

Only a few months later Village opened a drive-in on Stud Rd Rowville and called it the Dandenong drive-in. Competition was hot between the two Dandenong drive-ins, but confusion reigned for years until Village bought out the Panoramic in the early 1960's and finally changed the name of the Stud Rd drive-in to Village Rowville. The now Village Dandenong Drive-in installed a large illuminated sign on Cranbourne Rd, as South Gippsland Hwy was then called, and the drive-in continued to trade well throughout the next two decades. The capacity was increased to almost 900 cars and the drive-in was one of the few to possess a walk-in. Patrons without cars could walk to the drive-in and sit in a large room with speakers and a large glass viewing window. It also housed a second food area where BBQ's and grills were served. The walk-in still remains today and is used as a maintenance shed.

In the early 1980's the introduction of the VCR caused many drive-ins to suffer. Dandenong was one of 22 Melbourne drive-ins sharing an ever diminishing market. Little was re-invested; screen images were often dull, sound was mono Cine-Fi AM at best and many remained as single screen venues. The R rated sex double "Sweet Savage" plus "Terror Eyes" closed the drive-in in 1984 and summed up how the films and the patrons had changed over the years. Upon closure the site was bought by Trash and Treasure and used as a Sunday market site.

After years of careful planning, the Lunar Drive-in team re-built and re-opened the drive-in on September 19, 2002. Two new massive steel screens were erected (and later were joined by screen three on September 18, 2003). The old snack bar was rebuilt as the Lunar Cafe, a brand new projection block was constructed and the entire site refreshed. Thousands of cars tuned out in the opening week to see "Austin Powers in Goldmember", "Lilo and Stitch" and "Stuart Little 2". Today it is the largest drive-in in the southern hemisphere, serves up award winning food and offers the best value first release blockbuster films in Melbourne. It is the oldest drive-in theatre still operating in Australia, yet offers state of the art picture and sound presentation on all three screens. Old 1960's technicolour drive-in advertisements introduce the film programme every evening and live commentary informs patrons of giveaways and upcoming events.

The largest screens in Melbourne deliver the brightest and sharpest images around, crisp Dolby Stereo SR soundtracks are delivered to your car from our FM transmitters. The combined experience of the projectionists is over 100 years. Presentation is important at the Lunar. We care about customer service and on-screen presentation.

Every week more and more people are discovering the great fun and atmosphere enjoyed by watching movies in your car at the Lunar Drive-in Theatre Dandenong. It is the coming together of the two greatest icons of the twentieth century, the automobile and the motion picture.