The brand new farmhouse was named Wallabadah by the first owners, Halcyon and Albert (Goog Snr) Rankin, when they came back from their honeymoon. Goog’s father Geo and brothers George, Bill and Ernie built the house in 1924 for the newlyweds.
One hundred years later, current occupants, Lou and Phil Rankin, invited friends and family to a special celebration of the old family home on a perfect spring day in September. More than 90 Rankins and friends turned up to picnic in the gardens and enjoyed swapping stories and memories of old times and old friends.
Lou and Phil did some serious renovations in 2007, moving a wall to make a modern and spacious living area and transforming side verandahs to stylish, workable kitchen and storage spaces that is Lou’s pride and joy. There probably are not too many wooden structures that make it to 100 years old, so the Rankin men who put the effort into Wallabadah deserve a toast to their good work from the generations who came after.
There are several houses built at around the same time, or a little earlier, and still standing. The Tony house at Summerville St was moved from across the creek to its present site and was originally built in 1914. As was the house where Vince and Judy Slingsby live. Geoff Sharp, Irascible and sharp as ever, put me right to these facts. Also, in those early days the eldest sons, heirs to the family farm, were expected to stay home to work while the younger sons went off to war.