Fox Special A Year On - A Brief Update
Reported by Ian McIver, 1 April, 2001
A brief update - in view of the revived interest.
Unfortunately, those installing the organ cut a few corners with regard to the satellite transmission system and booked a very cheap rate using the Russian MIR space station facilities. They watched with some interest, not to mention dismay, as MIR hove dramatically into view over, and then into, the South Pacific.
Back to the drawing board; a new transmission system is being designed by a newly-recruited team member, Emma Chisett, who plans to use spare capacity on the Overland Telegraph.
The opening date has regrettably had to be deferred for another year.
Meanwhile, research work has continued into the ill-fated Fox-Regent theatre at Darwin, which we have discovered was to have been an atmospheric, the only Eskimo-style theatre ever to have been started. It was to have resembled a vast igloo; unfortunately, the builders had never encountered an atmospheric design before, and did not realise it was meant to be constructed of plaster.
Six weeks' output of the Darwin Ice Company was converted into specially shaped blocks, but within hours the whole theatre had melted in the tropical sun.
Discouraged by this disappointing outcome, the project was abandoned. An ornamental lake marks the site.
More, perhaps, in a year's time.