Remembering The Tropix Cinema

The Burdekin region homes a plethora of beautiful old buildings which inspired the work of photographer, Lido Paganoni, who used his talents to capture many nostalgic photographs that have been recently digitalised by the Queensland State Library.

Lido, born in Ingham in 1934 to Italian migrant parents, spent his childhood in both Ingham and Ayr. He later earned a PhD in industrial chemistry from Brisbane. With a diverse range of interests, Lido was passionate about velodrome and road racing, achieving some success in the sport, as well as geology and photography. He returned to North Queensland to work as an industrial chemist with Pioneer. Alongside his professional career, Lido also ran a photography shop in Ingham during the 1950s. Unfortunately, much of his photographic work and equipment were destroyed in the mid-1960s floods which eventually led Lido and his family to move to Brisbane in 1967. Lido’s photographs are undated, however its likely most of his photos were taken prior to 1967.

Although Queen Street looks a little different now, Lido’s photograph of the Tropix Cinema as captured in the 1950s, transports locals back in time, with many reminiscing on the memories they shared with the historic building. What are your fondest memories of Queen Street in the 50s?

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The Tropix Cinema as it once stood in Queen Street (Photo Credit: Lido Paganoni)

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