“Rainbow’s End,” a play penned by Jane Harrison, transports readers to the 1950s where we follow the lives of three generations of Aboriginal women staying in a riverside shanty. The narrative revolves around Nan Dear, the eldest of the family, her daughter Gladys Banks, and Gladys’s teenage daughter, Dolly. Errol Fisher, a notably young white man, is another key figure, while the actor who personifies Errol assumes other noteworthy roles.

An array of the family’s domestic tribulations are set against monumental historical happenings like the Queen’s tour and the formation of the Rumbalara housing project—circumstances typical of the 1950s. The play commences post a devastating flood, capturing a scene where Nan Dear and Gladys endeavour to rebuild their lives, and Dolly returns from school to a house of ruins.

Harrison, through her plot, seeks to cast light on the unsung heroines of the age, particularly the Aboriginal women who painstakingly protected their families through hardship. “Rainbow’s End” may be a fictional tale, but it encapsulates an emotional authenticity and applauds the tenacity of families that resided in The Flats, between Shepparton and Mooroopna, a common dwelling place for Aboriginal families then.

Jane Harrison, in her author’s note, elaborates on her profound reverence and gratitude towards those who faced these ordeals and generously disclosed their private narratives, providing the basis for her play. She accentuates that while the characters and dialogue are products of imagination, the depicted resilience and fortitude echo the real-life experiences of the Aboriginal society in the decade of the 1950s.