Small Town, Big Screen: Three Springs ready to launch southern hemisphere’s largest outdoor movie screen

A small Mid West town is gearing up to launch the biggest outdoor cinema screen in the southern hemisphere to be projected on to its towering silos.

Three Springs will launch its Silo Projection Project on Saturday, April 15 — an initiative that aims to encourage the development of tourism across the region and be a drawcard to visitors to come to town.

For the launch event, locals and visitors will be treated to the top-grossing film of 2022, Top Gun: Maverick, on the massive 56m x 45m screen, making it the 15th biggest outdoor screen in the world.

A $136,000 Lotterywest grant allowed the Shire to purchase the technology to project art, live-streamed events, documentaries and films on to the town’s decommissioned CBH grain silos. The council put in about $94,000 towards the project.

The Shire is looking to make the screen a permanent addition, scheduling two events annually including mixed media projections and movie screenings.

Shire of Three Springs president Chris Lane said: “We are thrilled to bring this fun and unique event to the Western Australian community. This event is a great opportunity for everyone to experience the beauty of Three Springs and enjoy a classic film under the stars.”

As part of the tourism initiative, free camping will be available to visitors at the Eco Short-Stay Caravan Park and football oval.

The council plans to submit a funding application to Lotterywest to help realise its $2.5 million plan to transform its old general store, the vacant Duffy’s Store, into a one-stop tourism hub featuring a visitor centre, museum and cafe. The funding application will be for $2 million, with the council set to contribute $500,000 if given the green light.