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  • Rainbow of Yesteryear colourised. Vintage images of historic properties, many with fascinating stories.

Last Updated on October 13, 2021

Rainbow of Yesteryear colourised. Vintage images of historic properties, many with fascinating stories.

Many properties around Rainbow with some fascinating stories to tell. Pioneer's homes, and some even used as hospitals in the early 1900s.

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Please share this story with your family and friends so that they can read about the Rainbow Township, its history,  and what it has to offer tourists. 

Thank you very much, Don...

29-July-2021 - Mr. Dart's charming and comfortable homestead at Rainbow. 

Click on image to enlarge to full size.


Don
John Dart. A farming property next to the town. Dart's Ave? Could this be the house that Max and Jeannette Strauss lived in?

Jeannette Strauss
Originally built by Dart. W P Strauss & wife Hilda from Sth Aust took over sometime early 1930, Max & myself lived there 1974 -2000, Mark & Joanne Thomas are now living there.

Nola Martin
Used to visit Mrs Strauss and take cream and milk on weekends. I loved going there and as a kid everything seemed so large!!

Joanne Thomas
This is a great photo to see what our house looked like in the past. thank you.

Don
Joanne, is it possible to take and post a picture of the house as it is today? Preferably from the same position as the old original photograph. I can then add it to my archives.

Joanne Thomas
Yes you can post the current picture that Don came & took. Thank you for asking

Don
Thanks Joanne. Had a great chat to Mark while I was there also. Sorry I missed you.


13-Dec-2014
Around lunch time today, I paid a visit to Mark and Joanne Thomas's house at the
end of Dart's Ave Rainbow. (The original pre-1910 Dart family home). Mark was
home and made me most welcome. 

After chatting about Rainbow, relations, and general ramblings, with Mark's help, I managed to get a reasonable shot of the original Dart house from as close as possible to the same angle that the photo in the 1910 booklet was taken from. With the new fence, and the growth of trees, to grab a photo from the same location would have meant, that you wouldn't be seeing very much of the house at all, so I had to shift to the right somewhat.

The roof is very different, the chimneys are different, but it is basically the same structure. It would have been easier to get a nice shot from what now appears to be the front of the house, where you pull up your vehicle near the front gate, but it doesn't relate to the old photograph, so we took it from beyond the new fence line.

RAINBOW OF TO-DAY. 1910

Mr. JOHN DART, One of Rainbow's Progressive Farmers. Mr. John Dart ranks not only amongst the oldest pioneers of Rainbow district, but is one of the most progressive farmers, his farm comprising 340 acres of rich land adjoining the town.

He breeds stud Border Leicester rams and ewes Mr. Dart also has the nucleus of a model stud farm, and, in addition to a score of well bred colts, fillies and brood mares, is the owner of the magnificently bred New Zealand draught horses, " Clan Stuart " and " Sir Colin." Both are prolific prize-takers, and their progeny show much bone and muscle. They have proved in every way most successful at the stud. The accompanying views illustrate the comfortable homestead and the magnificent points of his two draught stallions.

29-July-2021 - Livingstone's handsome residence, Rainbow.

Click on image to enlarge to full size.

RAINBOW OF TO-DAY. 1910

6 Darts Avenue Rainbow.


Pam Newton
Not no. 9 we have double windows and only 1 chimney, looks more like no. 6 Darts Ave. No maybe not, no. 6 is weatherboard.

Sandra M Wallis
Try no. 6 Darts Avenue. Mrs. Picketts.

Pam Newton
I wonder if this house is actually brick, just saying cos I reckon the wall on the right hand side adjoining the front wall is actually weatherboard...which could mean that the facade is cladding....which could make it 6 Darts Ave.???

Sandra M Wallis
the front walls of no.6 were clad in cement sheet some time back. Under this, is timber shaped to look like large stone or the like.

Sandra M Wallis
Along the top of the roof to the west you can see where the chimney has been removed .The new chimney on the east was put in to replace the open fire place.

Don
Thanks Sandra. Pam Newton has taken some photos and posted them in a new thread along with an explanation, so I believe this mystery has now been solved.
It took a lot of work to find this one!

Pam Newton
Mystery solved, the house in question is in fact No.6 Darts Avenue....window have been renovated but essentially the same house....weatherboard made to look like masonry.  

Rebecca Albrecht
Good sleuthing Aunty Pam Newton. Dad pulled the chimneys down in the 80's and put the front windows in around that time too. I can vaguely remember a red small ripple tin fence.

RAINBOW OF TO-DAY 1910


Messrs. W. & T. Livingston, Saddlery and Harness Manufacturers, Federal Street, Rainbow.

Messrs. W. and T. Livingston's saddlery and harness establishment has enjoyed gradually increasing prosperity during the past five years, and today it is a very up-to-date business in every respect, employing a large number of competent workmen; in fact, a few years ago only one hand was employed today there are six. The premises are commodious ones, and the accompanying photographs serve to illustrate the large stock of saddles, harness, etc., etc., that is carried. Repairing work is a specialty, and is turned out promptly. Messrs. Livingston have secured their present large connection by industry and sheer merit. They have catered liberally for and towards the farmer and townsmen of Rainbow and district, and are now reaping their just reward for integrity and general thoroughness in the conduct of business. Their prices are moderate, and farmers can rely on receiving good value and honest work at the hands of the Livingston brothers.


28-July-2021 - Dr. Perrin's handsome residence at Rainbow.

Click on image to enlarge to full size.

RAINBOW OF TO-DAY. 1910


60 Railway Street Rainbow.

Carol Gebert
This house is Bob & Val Dunn's house. Corner Railway and Bow street next to Ismay's old house.

Don
I believe this house was also used as Rainbow's first hospital.

28-July-2021 - Eddy Street Houses.

Click on image to enlarge to full size.

16 Eddy Street Rainbow.
Date 1920s.

Jan Edelsten
Corner Eddy & King ??

Don
Thanks Jan. Great work. I'll have to find some harder ones. 🙂

Later research finds that this was Dr H.F. Wickens house, which was also used as a private hospital.


6 Eddy Street Rainbow. (Middle of photo)
Date Unknown

Diane Wall
Looks more like Eddy Street. From right to left in the sixties,
Williamson’s, Klemms, Strauss’s, Church of England, King Street next, then
Davis’s. This photo was much earlier in the century when A.G.Strauss was alive.
You can’t see the house in this photo because it was set back further in the
block, and there were no huge pine trees in the church yard and Williamson’s
front yard then, and there are electricity poles in the right places as now.

Helen Fisher
Diane is right. That is our house in Eddy St beside the Church of
England. We bought and worked on the original Strauss house. Both houses either
side of us now under restoration too.

 Don
WOW. Thanks Diane, and Helen. Google street view
match the image below. The years and trees make so much difference.

In a FaceBook Private Group? Then you won't have a share button.

Please share this story with your family and friends so that they can read about the Rainbow Township, its history,  and what it has to offer tourists. 

Thank you very much, Don...

5/5 - (4 votes)

Last Updated on October 13, 2021

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