On Friday night, Night Owl Cinema The Sound of Music was screened outdoors in the garden of The Elms Mission House.

Julie Green, whose grandparents Duff and Gertrude Maxwell were the last occupants of The Elms in the 1990s, went along with three of her grandchildren to enjoy the community outdoor cinema event.

"It was a great night's entertainment with a lovely still evening,” says Julie.

Live musical entertainment was provided by guitarist and singer Dan Sharp who performed to a crowd of about 200.

Julie is the great-great-granddaughter of Euphemia Maxwell. In the 1880s, Euphemia's sister Christina was living at The Elms.

As the widow of Archdeacon Brown, and without children of her own, she left the property to her niece Alice Maxwell in 1887, on the condition that she, her sister Edith and their mother took up residence.

It would become the family home for the next 100 years, and as a child Julie lived there from 1965.

"The Elms was a really nice setting for an outdoor movie,” says Julie. 'When I stood up to fold up the blankets, they had the lights on in the house so you could see into the rooms which was really cool.”

Enjoying outdoor movie at The Elms. Photo: Rosemary Peek.

As a child, Julie had the whole garden as her playground.

'We never had an outdoor movie but over the years we had quite a lot of events on the lawn. The Elms Trust used to have their AGM every year outdoors with a big afternoon afterwards, and as a child I'd hand around plates of biscuits.”

Enjoying outdoor movie at The Elms. Photo: Rosemary Peek

Night Owl Cinema presents Jumanji tonight at Fergusson Park in Matua. Entry is by gold coin. There will be a Kidszone from 4pm with games and activities for the whole family provided with the Matua Residents Association, and local talent entertainment by Otumoetai Intermediate. Food trucks will provide food and coffee. The film starts screening at dusk, around 8pm.

Then on March 4, Night Owl Theatre will be screening Pete's Dragon at McLarens Fall Park. This tells the adventures of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliot, who just so happens to be a dragon.