The Saraton Theatre building is highly significant because of its integrity and rarity as an example of a picture theatre built in a small country city during the heyday of the development of, and high audience attendance for cinema (i.e. the first half of the 20th century).
As an example of Greek immigrant interest in theatre construction in country NSW to supply entertainment to the majority Anglo-Celtic population, it has been owned by the Notaras family for the 73 years of its existence.
As one of only 4 per cent of the country picture theatres built up to World War II, that are still operating in recognisable original condition, both its exterior 1920s style and interior late 1930s style of design provide a now rare insight into the setting of the major leisure activity of the period.

Saraton Theatre was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 9 June 2000 having satisfied the following criteria.

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

It is important in the course or pattern of NSW's cultural history because, like the very few remaining picture theatres of its era it is of historic, social and cultural significance due to 'its association with past events, persons and groups who contributed or participated in an important social and cultural phenomenon of the 20th century, namely "movie going".
The importance of such historical phase or phenomenon may be gauged...by its physical manifestations, including the number of theatre buildings then existing [from 1910 to 1960], the amount of employment created, the fact that "picture going" was second only to sport as a leisure time activity, ands by its impact on popular taste of the time where concerned with fashion, design generally, language, music and behaviour.
Such phenomenon can . . .
be regarded . . .
as being "historic - meaning noted in history" and 'historical - belonging to history'
Special association with the life or works of a person: As far as is known it only has a modest link to Sir Earle Page, MHR for the district, former long-time leader of the Country Party, Deputy Prime Minister first to Stanley Melbourne Bruce, then to Ben Lyons; and Prime Minister for a brief period.
The importance of this link is the importance he placed on entertainment (and therefore their settings) for the general population (as well as the armed forces) during times of war, when he reopened the Saraton Theatre in 1940.

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

The item is quite important to Grafton and NSW for its aesthetic characteristics - they denoting its being one of the few superior designed buildings of the first half of the 20th century that remain in the commercial centre of Grafton.
It is noteworthy for both the external (1926) streetscape and internal rebuilding (1940).
For the state of NSW it represents the best of what was built in a country city of modest size - its owners being complimented by the Mayor in 1926 for investing so much money, and for their setting an example to other people in the town whom he hoped would follow suit.
The theatre has been noted for its aesthetic qualities, together with a recommendation for its retention, in the 1984 Report to the Heritage Council, Theatres/Cinemas in New South Wales by R. Thorne with K. Cork and L. Tod; and again in Thorne, Tod and Cork (1996, p. 266 ) and Thorne, Tod and Cork (1997, p. 275) where it was claimed that "the theatre is one of the most decorative and architecturally handsome in NSW".

The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The Saraton represents the involvement by Greek immigrants during the first half of the 20th century in the exhibition of films in country towns.
Out of the 385 country picture theatres at some time owned and/or operated by Greek immigrants this is possibly the last being operated by
The Saraton Theatre building is highly significant because of its integrity and rarity as an example of a picture theatre built in a small country city during the heyday of the development of, and high audience attendance for cinema (i.e. the first half of the 20th century). As an example of Greek immigrant interest in theatre construction in country NSW to supply entertainment to the majority Anglo-Celtic population, it has been owned by the Notaras family for the 73 years of its existence. As one of only 4 per cent of the country picture theatres built up to World War II, that are still operating in recognisable original condition, both its exterior 1920s style and interior late 1930s style of design provide a now rare insight into the setting of the major leisure activity of the period.
Saraton Theatre was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 9 June 2000 having satisfied the following criteria.
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.
It is important in the course or pattern of NSW's cultural history because, like the very few remaining picture theatres of its era it is of historic, social and cultural significance due to 'its association with past events, persons and groups who contributed or participated in an important social and cultural phenomenon of the 20th century, namely "movie going". The importance of such historical phase or phenomenon may be gauged...by its physical manifestations, including the number of theatre buildings then existing [from 1910 to 1960], the amount of employment created, the fact that "picture going" was second only to sport as a leisure time activity, ands by its impact on popular taste of the time where concerned with fashion, design generally, language, music and behaviour. Such phenomenon can . . . be regarded . . . as being "historic - meaning noted in history" and 'historical - belonging to history'
Special association with the life or works of a person: As far as is known it only has a modest link to Sir Earle Page, MHR for the district, former long-time leader of the Country Party, Deputy Prime Minister first to Stanley Melbourne Bruce, then to Ben Lyons; and Prime Minister for a brief period. The importance of this link is the importance he placed on entertainment (and therefore their settings) for the general population (as well as the armed forces) during times of war, when he reopened the Saraton Theatre in 1940.
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.
The item is quite important to Grafton and NSW for its aesthetic characteristics - they denoting its being one of the few superior designed buildings of the first half of the 20th century that remain in the commercial centre of Grafton. It is noteworthy for both the external (1926) streetscape and internal rebuilding (1940). For the state of NSW it represents the best of what was built in a country city of modest size - its owners being complimented by the Mayor in 1926 for investing so much money, and for their setting an example to other people in the town whom he hoped would follow suit. The theatre has been noted for its aesthetic qualities, together with a recommendation for its retention, in the 1984 Report to the Heritage Council, Theatres/Cinemas in New South Wales by R. Thorne with K. Cork and L. Tod; and again in Thorne, Tod and Cork (1996, p. 266 ) and Thorne, Tod and Cork (1997, p. 275) where it was claimed that "the theatre is one of the most decorative and architecturally handsome in NSW".
The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
The Saraton represents the involvement by Greek immigrants during the first half of the 20th century in the exhibition of films in country towns. Out of the 385 country picture theatres at some time owned and/or operated by Greek immigrants this is possibly the last being operated by
Saraton Theatre