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The attractions of Rainbow will be transmitted to television screens across the country after the ABC’s Back Roads came and filmed a segment last week.

Rainbow’s Marg Krelle and the Rainbow Innovation Centre; Supporting All Abilities Incorporated will be a focus of the segment. 

The show profiles rural communities, characters and those facing adversity in the bush.

The program is more of a documentary than a travel series, based on resilience and what surprising things people achieve in these small communities.

With a land as big as Australia, there is no shortage of suggested destinations. 

When local photographer and farmer Ben Gosling became in contact with ABC through the Mallee Book, he spoke about many things that are happening in the town.

Back Roads host Heather Ewart then made a decision to do an episode on the Mallee, choosing to highlight Miss Krelle and the Rainbow Innovation Centre.

The footage will be in part of an episode including Ouyen and Sea Lake that will air later in the year.

“It’s amazing being able to visit these small towns like Rainbow,” Mrs Ewart said.

“I grew up in a small Victorian country town. The resilience and positive attitudes of the locals is always powerful.” 

When former ABC managing director Mark Scott called Mrs Ewart to come up with an idea about the country, she thought about where her roots string from.

“I thought one thing that hasn’t been done is what happens in these little country towns,” she said.

And that is how Back Roads began. 

The theme in the early days when she first formed Back Roads was “you never know who you’ll meet, or what you’ll find, if you take back roads.”

Still sticking true to that message, she was stoked to have met some amazing people around Rainbow and what she found at the Oasis on Bow Street. 

“The last time I came to Rainbow was in the late 1970s. It is wonderful to be here again”

Sound operator John Peterson said he loves his job, saying he is ‘living the dream’ working with Back Roads. He said what makes the job is visiting new towns and finding interesting characters.

The entire crew was pleased to have visited and included Rainbow in their series, that they recorded on Thursday, February 18.

 Producer Kathy McLeish said that “Everyone has been so lovely and welcoming”

Mrs McLeish also said “It can take an hour of film to produce 1 minute of footage”

After dinner at the pub that night, and some exploring Federal Street the next day, they headed to film at Sea Lake. 

Belinda Eckermann who runs Rainbow Innovation Centre was grateful for Back Roads wanting to feature the center.

She expressed appreciation to all of the volunteers who helped in showcasing activities and projects that the centre has been working on to the film crew. 

Mr’s Eckermann said “Thankyou to all the crew, and to all the Innovation Centre participants who were able to attend, the mentors and committee members, Woodbine Incorporated staff and clients, the Hands on Learning crew and Marg Krelle.”

The episode is set to air in June.

News items courtesy of the Rainbow Jeparit Argus.

 

Article posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2021.