The owners of a historic Bowen institution were honoured for six decades of continued service and contribution to community last week in a morning tea celebration.
Summergarden Cinema owners Ben and Phyllis De Luca were congratulated on 60 years of operating the famed theatre by Zonta Club Bowen at the Garden Club Hall on Saturday, October 29.
Known locally as “Ben’s Baby”, the Summergarden has become fundamentally linked, alongside the family themselves, with the fabric of Bowen.
“They have been associated with Bowen for 60 years and this is a huge achievement worthy of celebrating,” Zonta Club Bowen member Kerry Moloney said.
“Throughout those years, Ben has supported community groups – such as Zonta – with fundraising activities, and we have benefited immensely, with the profit enabling our club to support our community.
“This is for those funds, for everything, and for all the entertainment provided to Bowen and the Whitsundays for six decades.”
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox was joined by distinguished guests from Whitsunday Regional Council, including Mayor Julie Hall, Councillors Jan Clifford, Gary Simpson, and Michelle Wright, as well as Bowen Gumlu Growers President Carl Walker, to applaud the achievement.
The Member for Dawson, who has lived in Bowen all his life, recalled how much the Summergarden Cinema means to not just his family, but to the town itself.
“What a great man he is; 60 years providing entertainment to all of Bowen. it’s an iconic destination and tourist attraction in its own right,” Mr Willcox said.
“My early memories, and Mr De Luca will attest to this, I was a very good patron. My wife on the other hand played up a bit, and I would never have done anything like that! In fact, we have Carl Walker here and he would throw popcorn around, but he’s grown up now too.
“I can remember being at school and working with the P&C, he would donate vouchers for people, he kept his prices low, because people in Bowen didn’t have a terrible amount of money. If you went to the city, you would see that those prices would be four and five times the amount. But he always looked after the community.
“I spoke to my parents today, and they recalled some of their times at the cinema. We’ve had three children and they’ve all been through there. My own son has just married and his first date with his now wife was right there in the Summergarden – with mum sitting two seats behind!
“As a town, we are honoured and blessed to have the De Luca family for everything they’ve done. Thank you very much on a personal note and thank you so much for the community.”
Mr De Luca thanked all attendees on behalf of his family, with Phyliss an apology on the day.
“Everyone here is so important to us and to me over those years. That’s why I love to greet you all when you come around to my place, because you’re all very important,” he said.
“We are the only cinema in a big, wide area now and we have the movies the same day as Sydney! I can’t thank you enough and hopefully we have a few more years to go.”
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox congratulating Ben De Luca on 60 years of owning the Bowen Summergarden Cinema
Mr De Luca was presented with an honorary plaque by the Zonta Club Bowen
Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall and Ben De Luca
Councillors Michelle Wright, Gary Simpson, and Jan Clifford with Ben De Luca
