Coincidentally, the film screening that night was The Towering Inferno, which led many audience members to believe the fire trucks were part of a publicity stunt.

[5] Drive-ins quickly declined during the home video era of the 1980s, a decade in which 23 theatres closed throughout the city and were sold to property developers.

This was the beginning of an unusual situation in which, because of its obscure and unprofitable location, the Coburg Drive-In remained open where all others of its kind in the area had closed.

[11] The 900-strong audience of local car enthusiasts reacted with violent disapproval, threatening to invade the projection room and leading to a near-riot.

[16] The Trust noted in the site's Statement of Significance that the cinema had ironically survived only because of its poor location and access, which made the land unattractive to developers.

In 2018, the land was sold to the Charter Hall property development group for $12.5 million and leased back to Village Cinemas until 2028.

David Harrison of Charter Hall described their purchase as a "mid-ring infill investment opportunity (with) better use in the long-term" but did not specify details beyond that, especially given the heritage listing.

A ticket booth at the end of the driveway features a vintage Dodge Phoenix car permanently attached to the roof, originally red but at some stage repainted yellow.