:up: That's much more likely - 'rare' meaning 'extraordinary/unusual'.
I agree that it's not particularly Australian, but I've often noticed that languages in a colonial context can be both conservative and innovative - and 'rare' in that sense is almost archaic in Br Eng. Similarly, the word 'contrary' - meaning something like 'argumentative' (which in the UK is known chiefly in the nursery rhyme 'Mary Mary/Quite contrary) - is common in Australian English. In Br Eng, we tend to say 'headstrong', 'opinionated', (informally) 'bloody-minded, 'mischievous', 'argumentative', 'curmudgeonly', 'hard to get on with, 'obstructive, 'obstreperous''.... or whatever near-synonym is most appropriate.
b