Independent Theatre, North Sydney

    

This is the Independent Theatre in North Sydney, the oldest Edwardian theatre still in use in Australia.  This building did not always look like this though.  Hard to believe it was originally a tram depot running from 1880 and  closing in 1909.  In 1909 the building received a makeover to make it more appropriate for the building's next use, as the Coliseum Vaudville theatre.  The facade became elaborately detailed and a large iron cupola was installed above, in the Victorian second Empire style. 

In 1914-1918 the building was used as a munition factory but returned to it's cultural use as a theatre again in 1939. It has remained the Independent theatre since then with a private school buying it more recently.