Organist and former theatre owner Ronald West from Cooran has been announced as a nominee for the 2024 Senior Australian of the Year for Queensland award.
Known as Ron to his friends and family, he has provided the soundtrack at the Majestic Theatre in Pomona, – the world’s oldest authentic silent movie house – for nearly 50 years.
He joins a world-record-breaking shearer, the co-founder of a dinosaur museum, the most successful Australian Olympian of all time, advocates against domestic violence, and a mental health charity founder, who are all being recognised as Queensland nominees.
One day in the 1980s, Ron and his wife Mandy, the then owners of the theatre, ran the movie The Son of the Sheik.
Ron provided the score himself with a restored pipe organ, making the music up as he went along. Word got around and within a few months, the Majestic only showed silent films.
In 2018, Ron acknowledged he played for the ‘Son of the Sheik’ movie 4128 times.
His father was a projectionist, so he grew up in the industry, as did his three sons.
After 30 years of preservation and restoration, Ron sold the Majestic to the Pomona community at below-market value, on an interest-free loan.
He included everything inside the building at no cost. Now more than 100 years old, the Majestic is run entirely by volunteers – including organist Ron, now in his nineties.
He celebrated his 90th birthday with many of the volunteers at the theatre in February this year.
Preferring not to do any interviews, the humble local also won the Noosa Shire Australia Day Award in 2004 for his contributions to culture and community.
The Queensland nominees are among 133 people being recognised across all states and territories.
The award recipients will be announced on Wednesday 8 November 2023 in a ceremony in Brisbane, which will also be available to watch online at australianoftheyear.org.au.
They will then join the other state and territory recipients as national finalists for the national awards announcement on Thursday 25 January 2024 in Canberra.
National Australia Day Council chief executive officer Mark Fraser AO CVO congratulated the Queensland nominees on their recognition.
“The nominees for the Queensland awards come from all walks of life and many different areas of endeavour and contribution,” Mark said.
“They remind us all of what we can do when we make a decision to take action, make a stand, lend a hand or strive for a goal. They remind us we are all capable of being extraordinary.”
