The Majestic Picture Theatre was built in 1928 and is associated with one of Malanda's prominent settler families, the English family.
James English, widely acknowledged as the 'founder of Malanda', migrated to North Queensland from the Lismore district of New South Wales in 1907 in search of cedar. Although the abundance of timber on the Atherton Tablelands made the move profitable, it was the Queensland Government's 1907 Group Settlement Act that enabled English to take full advantage of the surrounding resources and establish himself and his family in the region. This Act permitted groups of selectors (including family groups or acquaintances) to apply for adjoining blocks prior to an area being opened for selection. The rainforest around Malanda was opened up under this scheme, and the English family was one of the first groups to take up land. James English established the Princes Sawmill near Malanda Falls to process timber cut in the area as farms were cleared. This mill supplied timber for many buildings in the Malanda township such as commercial shops in English Street, the Malanda Hotel and, in 1928, the Majestic Picture Theatre. English also established 'The Jungle' an important tourist attraction in Malanda during the 1920s.
(extract from the Queensland Heritage Register - https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=601743#)
