About Dungog
The picturesque Hunter Valley town of Dungog houses the iconic James Theatre, the oldest continuously running cinema in Australia. It’s the perfect venue to bring together the past and the present. Come and escape the hustle and bustle with us, for four wondrous days. You'll swap stories around a campfire, have a drink with the locals at the pub, stroll down charming Dowling Street, and most importantly immerse yourself in the innovative world of Australian film and television.
What to see between movies
Take the time to embrace the full Dungog experience. Plug into the festival’s laid back vibe, which provides an excellent opportunity to visit some of Dungog’s impressive assets. Walk through the natural forests, visit waterfalls and cliffs that offer breathtaking panoramic views. Take a walk down the main street of Dungog and appreciate the untouched architecture of this beautiful town.
Barrington Tops National Park is a magnificent site for the adventurously minded, as well as their less active friends with plenty of space to relax on a rug. In the valleys, breathe the fresh air as you get lost in the ecological paradise of fresh water streams, waterfalls and forests, all framed by soaring cliffs.
Chichester Dam is located at the top of the Williams River Catchment, perfect for picnics with loved ones, plus access to wooden barbecues and children’s play areas. Open every day from 8am-5pm, entry is free.
Dungog Historical Museum is a heritage-listed building. Showcasing local photography collections, historical household items as well as known Dungog Citizen’s Stories and Carts and Buggies. All this for the bargain entry costs of Adult $3.00 and Child $2.00. Open Wed 10am-1pm –Sat 10am 3pm.
The Gringai tribe, who resided in the Dungog area prior to the first white settlement, called the region 'Tungog' or 'Tunkok'. Meaning 'the place of thinly wooded hills' in the Awabakal dialect.
The first white men in the area, thought to be searching for lost stock, were soon followed by timber-getters, attracted by the magnificent cedar trees (so renowned they were used in the construction of the iconic Sydney Opera House) in the area's hills.
Dungog began as a settlement on the banks of the Williams River and during this period of early settlement was originally called Upper Williams. In 1834, Captain Thomas Cook JP was made the first magistrate and at his urging the village was given the distinctive name, Dungog.
Before 1888, Dungog was a very poor settlement, with no water supply, hospital, dairying, street lighting, footpaths, gutters, bridges or municipality. From the late 1800s these services were progressively established to service the planning district's population. The Census of 1857 indicated that Dungog village had 25 houses and a population of 126 people, by 1861 the population had grown to 458 people. By 1909 the Dungog area was serviced by a telephone network and in 1963 the District Memorial Baths were opened, but since the mid 1900's few major changes have occurred in Dungog.
The James Theatre
The Dungog Cinema is the oldest continuously operating purpose-built cinema in Australia. Opened in 1913, the site was originally used as an open-air theatre. Under the control of James Stuart (hence the James Theatre) by 1914 it had been roofed and in 1930 it underwent extensive reconstruction, equipping it for talkies. It is believed that the Spanish-style façade, which gives the theatre its flair, was also added in the 1930s. In the 1980s the Dungog Shire Council acquired the building as a community centre and the cinema operation continued under the expert care of Ken Reeve, a regional cinema hero, until his retirement in 2007. The cinema is currently operated by the Hopson family.
