Sport is often considered the social fabric of many country communities and Rainbow is no exception with its many sporting clubs including football, netball, cricket, tennis, golf, bowls, badminton and darts.
Jeparit Rainbow Football Netball Club was formed in 1997 when the Rainbow and Jeparit football amalgamated. After playing in the Southern Mallee League for the 1996 season the club then became part of the newly formed Mallee Football League in 1997, winning a seniors football premiership in that year. The club continued on in the now disbanded Mallee League until 2014. It won a reserves football premiership in 2009, having won an U16’s premiership in 2002. There were a number of netball premierships, including the A grade team in 2010 and 2011.
In 2015 Jeparit Rainbow joined the Horsham District League. In its first four seasons in the league the senior football team has made the finals as has the 17&U netball team.
Last year the club won its first Horsham District premiership when its reserves football team defeated the undefeated Harrow Balmoral team by six points in the second semi final. Two weeks later the won the grand final on a cold and wet Horsham City oval defeating Harrow Balmoral 5.6- 3.5.
The club sees its role in the community as more than winning premierships. Each round during the football netball season it puts four football teams out on the field and seven netball teams on the court. Being part of two small communities at times the club has struggled for numbers but works hard to provide a sporting outlet for people of all ages. It plays its home games at both Rainbow and Jeparit.
It also is a very important social outlet for the Rainbow and Jeparit communities, being a family orientated club.
The Rainbow badminton season runs from May through to August, and is played at the Rainbow Secondary College Hall. The junior competition is played after school on Mondays, while the senior competition is played on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. New players are always welcome, and raquet hire is available.
The Rainbow Bowls Club was first established in 1931.
We have a membership of approx. 50 players and social members. We play 3 to 4 times a week.
We hold men’s and ladies Club Singles, Pairs and Fours plus other minor championships.
Our current Club Singles Champion for 2015 is Rodney McLean and Ladies Wendy Sleep. Who will have the opportunity to go on to Association and State Level.
The men play pennant on Saturdays – Ladies Mid Week Pennant on Monday.
The ladies have won over the last 3 years twice – runner up last year and in the finals to be played 11th February at Beulah against Warracknabeal, which will be a tight game.
Men who do not play pennant, play Saturday afternoon as what we call bankers and the ladies play to. This is open to all members who wish to play. Also after Christmas open to anyone interested in the game of bowls and have an interest of joining the Club.
Thursday night is pennant practice for the men, usually around 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm also open to both ladies and men.
Ladies play Thursday afternoon starting 1.30 pm names in by 1.15 pm also open to all members.
After Christmas we play Tuesday morning start 10.00 am names in by 9.45 pm This is because of the hot weather, this is also open to both men and women members and non members.
Thursday night we play Social Pennant Triples, our rule is we must include one non bowler, but a team can have all non bowlers if they wish. We are starting a four week tournament starting 4th February. Starts at 7.00 pm Teams can be entered the night before to Lorna or single entries are welcome.
This is an annual event, usually played in late January through February as the nights are usually nice.
We have just had installed a new synthetic green, it is 7-8 rink green, and wonderful for our green keepers as there is less work involved in maintaining a grass green. We still have things to do around the Club to finish off our seating and surrounds but we will get there.
Maureen and Neville Petschel have done landscaping gardening for us and it is looking great.
A big thank you to all who helped with the paving and enabling us to get this far with updating our green.
The Rainbow Community Gym is located at the Recreation Reserve. It features a range of fitness machines, including treadmills, exercise bikes and rowing machine, as well as various weight equipment. The gym is open 7 days a week, and annual memberships are only $20.
Rainbow Cricket Club plays in the West Wimmera Cricket Association. The cricket season runs from October till March with a break over Christmas and early January.
Rainbow are
the current premiers having won the 2014-2015 Grand Final played on the 7th and 8th of March. This was the clubs second premiership in three years, having also won in 2012-2013.
The Rainbow Golf Club celebrated its centenary in 2009. It boasts a picturesque and undulating 18 hole sand-scrape course, which features buloke woodlands and other native mallee vegetation. Rainbow Golf Club is open from April to September and visitors are always welcome. Bookings are not necessary and green fees are under $10.00. A practice fairway and putting scrapes are available. The club house is warm and spacious with a modern kitchen and has a licensed bar.
Mens competitions are on Saturdays from 12.30pm and Ladies competitions on Wednesdays from 12.30pm. Rainbow Golf Club’s Annual Tournament is in July.
The Rainbow swimming pool is the perfect place to cool off during the hot summer months. The 25m pool and separate baby pool are both solar heated, and a qualified lifeguard is always on duty. The site features large grassed and shaded areas, as well as changing rooms and showers. Refreshments and snacks are available from the kiosk. Day and season tickets are available.
Rainbow tennis club has four relatively new plexi-pave courts situated at the Rainbow recreation reserve. During the tennis season, October-March, we host several competitions, including: mens and ladies night tennis; junior tennis and coaching; and Saturday senior tennis where we enter a team in the Dimboola & District Association competition. New players and committee members are always welcome. The AGM is held in September.
The attractions of Rainbow will be transmitted to television screens across the country after the ABC’s Back Roads came...
The market on Sunday was a hit with a few hundred people attending.