In the second half of our conversation with Kimberley Wilson from Rutchillo Station near Julia Creek, we pick up where we left off - talking about her daughter Cadence, a bush kid turned medical student whose journey began in a tiny schoolroom on the family’s outback station.

After almost two decades as a home educator, Kimberley has seen education evolve across the airwaves and through the seasons. In this episode, she shares how that dedication - and her own teaching background - helped shape Cadence’s path from the station classroom to Fairholme College in Toowoomba, and now to studying medicine at James Cook University.

We also talk about the realities of remote life: farewelling children for boarding school, the challenges of distance, and the quiet strength it takes to keep children on track from hundreds of kilometres away. Kimberley opens up about her ongoing advocacy with the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association and her hopes for fair, accessible education for every rural and remote child.

It’s a heartfelt continuation of a story about family, endurance and the opportunities that grow from even the most isolated corners of Australia.

Read:

It’s The Ultimate Collaboration: Rural Boarders x Agricultural Advocacy

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. If, like Kimberley, you’re a family based in remote north-west Queensland then keep an eye on our Mount Isa Boarding Schools Expo page - we’ll be back up there in November next year and schools are registering to join us. 

In this two part episode of Letters from Home, we travel to Rutchillo Station near Julia Creek to meet Kimberley Wilson - a woman of the outback whose story will both humble and inspire you.

Kimberley has spent nearly two decades teaching her children through School of the Air, balancing lessons with station life and community commitments. In this heartfelt two-part conversation, she opens up about the joys and challenges of being both mum and teacher in one of the most remote parts of Queensland - and the heartbreak of losing her daughter Peyton just before she was due to begin boarding school.

We talk about the resilience that shaped her family, her deep involvement with ICPA Queensland, and her hopes for true educational equity for remote children. Kimberley also shares the remarkable story of her daughter Cadence, who studied at Fairholme College in Toowoomba and is now pursuing medicine at James Cook University, driven by a passion for rural health.

It’s a story about love, loss, education, and advocacy - and a reminder that the future of rural Australia often begins in a tiny schoolroom on a far-flung station.

For families who’d like to meet schools face-to-face, visit our Mount Isa Expo Directory and register to attend. Schools are still registering for this event at the end of 2026.  Our events are a place where connection and opportunity come together for regional and remote families.

Welcome back to Destination Boarding, where we dive into the big conversations that matter to families, students, and boarding school communities. Whether you're a parent—current or prospective—a boarder or ex-boarder, an expat looking to educate your child on home soil, or a boarding school staff member, there's something here for you.

Today, we’re sitting down once again with Dr. Lisa Fahey OAM. We’ve invited Dr. Lisa to be a regular contributor to the podcast, and after hearing her insights, you’ll understand why. Her advice for families is invaluable.

As a specialist in trauma recovery for young people, Dr. Lisa provides behavioural interventions to support families and children. Her entire career has been dedicated to working with teenagers, and as a mother of five former boarders, she brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the table.

In this episode, we’re tackling the growing concerns around screen time—whether it’s smartphones, computers, or tablets—and the impact it has on teenagers. Research now shows that more than two hours of daily screen time can noticeably affect a young child’s intellect.

Here’s a myth-buster: a toddler’s ability to navigate a touchscreen has no correlation to their academic ability.

This issue is more relevant than ever, as the Federal Government debates new restrictions on social media use for children under 16. But perhaps the most confronting aspect? It’s not just kids who struggle to disconnect—parents do too. Cutting the digital umbilical cord is proving to be a challenge, and finding a balance is crucial.

Join us for this eye-opening conversation with Dr. Lisa Fahey, where we unpack the realities of screen time and its influence on our families.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

Boarding Schools Expo: ⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au⁠

Quovus: ⁠https://www.quovus.com.au/about-us

Dr Lisa Fahey OAM: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lisa-fahey-oam-97a65625/

In this episode, we chat with Nonie Ayling from Wenona, a girls' school in Sydney. Nonie was of our panellists for last year’s Australian Boarding Schools Summit, where we explore the question: Big or Small… Does Size Really Matter in a Boarding House?

Families often ask me whether the size of a boarding cohort makes a difference—what’s best for their child, and what are the benefits or challenges of each option? There’s sometimes concern about smaller boarding communities, so I wanted to open up the conversation and bust some myths.

What I loved about talking with Nonie is that Wenona doesn’t shy away from being a smaller boarding school—they embrace it. They celebrate their cultural diversity, welcoming international students, ex-pats, city-based boarders, and rural families alike.

At the end of the day, you know your child best. You know the environment where they’ll thrive—and Nonie speaks directly to that. After this conversation, I see small boarding communities in a whole new light… and in a really positive way.

Enjoy our chat!

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

Boarding Schools Expo: https://boardingexpo.com.au

Wenona: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/wenona/

In this episode of Destination Boarding, we sit down with Richard Stokes, Executive Director of the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA), to explore what it means to be an intentional and purposeful boarding parent.

Richard shares his expert insights on how parents can best support their children through the boarding experience, from preparing them for the transition to fostering independence while staying connected. We also discuss the evolving landscape of boarding in Australia and how parents can navigate the journey with confidence.

Tune in for practical advice, real-life stories, and expert tips to help you and your child thrive in the boarding school environment.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

ABSA: https://www.boarding.org.au

Boarding Schools Expo: ⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au

In this episode, I sit down with Kate Kennedy, a mother, farmer, and dedicated community member from Trangie in central western NSW. Kate is the proud mum of four—Belle, an early childhood educator; Annie, a paediatric nurse; Charlie, who now helps manage the family’s farming operations; and Ned, currently in his final year at boarding school.

After the devastating loss of her husband Al six years ago, Kate stepped into the role of sole operator of their 3000-hectare cropping farm, alongside a cattle trading business. With a strong background in agricultural operations and financial management, she embraced the challenge, growing the family business while ensuring its sustainability for future generations.

In this conversation, Kate shares her insights on navigating boarding school as a rural parent, the impact of scholarships, and how she balanced education choices with the realities of farming life—especially through tough times like the drought. She also reflects on the strength of her community in Trangie and the support that has helped her family through life’s challenges.

Kate’s story is one of resilience, determination, and deep love for her land, her children, and the broader agricultural industry.

Thank you Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

Boarding Schools Expo: https://boardingexpo.com.au

In this episode, I sit down with Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College, to discuss a key topic from this year’s Australian Boarding Schools Summit—Academics, Country Kids & the Art of Encouragement. We explore how parents and schools can best support boarders as they adjust to a new school environment, often facing a more challenging curriculum and the emotional toll of transition.

Barker College offers a unique approach to boarding, focusing solely on senior co-ed boarding from Year 10. While these students are a little older when they begin, they still encounter hurdles as they navigate this new chapter. It’s also interesting to note that Barker has no international boarding students, making its boarding community uniquely Australian.

At the end of our conversation, I asked Phillip whether a school’s success is defined purely by academics. While he acknowledged the importance of strong academic results, he was far more passionate about Barker’s focus on the three C’s. But what exactly are they? You’ll have to listen in to find out.

Barker College, set on 65 acres at the top of Sydney’s Upper North Shore, has had boarding as part of its story for almost 130 years. In this discussion, Phillip shares what drives him to ensure that senior boarding remains an integral part of the school—and how Barker truly values the contributions of country kids in boarding communities.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

Boarding Schools Expo: ⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au⁠⁠

Barker College: ⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/barker-college/⁠

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Lisa Fahey, a psychologist specialising in trauma recovery and behavioral interventions for young people. As a mother of five former boarders, Dr. Lisa brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the table—making her insights invaluable for families navigating the boarding journey.

This chat focuses on how parents can best support their children as they transition into secondary school, a shift that can feel overwhelming—especially for young boarders adjusting to a new environment, academic pressures, and increased independence. Dr. Lisa shares practical strategies to help parents instill confidence, set positive routines, and provide the right emotional backup.

This particular topic is featured on our Australian Boarding Schools Summit this year too, you can register for that via our website ⁠boardingexpo.com.au⁠, and watch on demand at a time that suits you.

We hope you take away some great insights from this conversation with Dr. Lisa.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

Boarding Schools Expo: https://boardingexpo.com.au

Quovus: https://www.quovus.com.au/about-us

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly, who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Anna Clark and Will Ryrie from Tudor House, Moss Vale, NSW. Anna and Will are in Year 6 at the moment.

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Tudor House:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/the-kings-school-tudor-house/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly, who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Luke Bartolo from The Cathedral School, Townsville, QLD. Luke is in Year 12 and hails from Mount Isa, QLD. 

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

The Cathedral School, Townsville:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/cathedral-school-st-anne-st-james-townsville/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

In this conversation, Kirsty and Amanda discuss the emotional challenges faced by parents during the transition of their children to boarding school. We explore the grief that accompanies this change, the impact on family dynamics, and the importance of community support. 

Through personal anecdotes, we highlight the shared experiences of homesickness and the strategies that can help both parents and children cope with these feelings. In this conversation, we discuss the emotional challenges faced by parents when sending children to boarding school.

We chat about the themes of grief, the transition to empty nesting, and the importance of finding support systems. The discussion highlights coping strategies for parents, the significance of routines, and the evolving dynamics of family life as children grow and leave home. 

Through personal stories and mutual experiences, we provide insights into managing the emotional rollercoaster of separation and the importance of community support.

Boarding Schools Expo: https://boardingexpo.com.au

Dumble Collective: https://dumblecollective.com.au

St Joseph’s College: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/st-josephs-college-hunters-hill/

Frensham: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/frensham/

ICPA: https://icpa.com.au

Keywords:

boarding school, grief, homesickness, parenting, family dynamics, support, emotional health, school transitions, community, coping strategies, empty nesting, coping strategies, emotional well-being, separation anxiety, school transition

Podcasts discussing grief:

The Ceremony of Leaving:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/destination-boarding/id1640150764?i=1000576299542

Bec Austin:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/destination-boarding/id1640150764?i=1000578604824

Richard Stokes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/destination-boarding/id1640150764?i=1000580123544

Boarding Expo 365 - 2024:

Academics, country kids and the art of encouragement: bridging the great divide

Student Panel: Bridging the Great Divide …lead up to, and managing boarding school

Boarding Expo 365 – 2023:

The emotional roller coaster of teen life in the boarding house : How do we support our child and boarding school staff?

Student Panel: Friendships and support within the boarding house.

Boarding Expo 365 – 2022:

The Value of Educational Opportunities for Rural & Remote Students – it’s a broad church we’re preaching from.

Panel Discussion: Building Communities away from the places we call home.

Articles:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/friendships-food-for-thought-a-podcast-and-a-binge-worthy-series-its-all-in-here/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/hidden-gems-for-parents-embracing-the-treasures-of-friendships-made/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/the-very-real-heartache-of-empty-nest-blues/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/fostering-connection-the-benefits-of-boarding-schools-in-a-disconnected-teenage-world/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/the-inside-story-of-boarding-school-a-qa-with-buy-from-the-bush/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/the-advice-i-gave-my-sister-when-she-started-at-boarding-school/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/supporting-your-boarder-from-a-distance/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/why-boarding-school-is-an-education-for-life/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/making-the-most-of-time-together/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/transitioning-to-boarding-school/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/five-ways-to-stay-connected-to-your-teen-at-boarding-school/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/how-to-make-the-transition-to-boarding-school-easier/

https://boardingexpo.com.au/boarding-offers-a-community-of-support/

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly, who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Thomas Rutledge from Assumption College, Kilmore, VIC. Thomas is in Year 12 and hails from Kyneton, NSW. 

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Assumption College:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/assumption-college-kilmore/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Today I’m with Richard Stokes. Richard is the CEO of the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA).

ABSA, as the leading authority in Australia on boarding for school-aged children, promotes the interests and well-being of boarders, boarding staff, boarding parents and boarding institutions in Australia. It is an organisation that fosters collegiality and professionalism at a regional and federal level and across many parts of the world. ABSA continues to advance the profile of boarding and best practice in boarding and facilitates communication on boarding matters between schools, hostels, educational bodies and governments both in Australia and overseas.  

Now that’s the brochure spiel… Richard brings decades of boarding school experience to his role. In fact without him ABSA wouldn’t exist as it does today and serve to educate thousands of boarding staff each year. 

4000 boarding staff across Australia with a turnover rate of 25% ensures that Richard is never going to be able to retire! Did you know that ABSA offers Certificate level training right through to Masters of Residential Education and boarding school staff can pursue a career wholey and soley devoted to managing boarding houses within a school. 
It begins with Base Level 1 Duty of Care training and goes on to Active Duty, in between there’s a vast array of Certificates staff can undertake, leading to a Masters and then there’s the Emerging Boarder Leaders program. Staff do not have to be teachers to have a career in boarding. In fact Richard tells me 60% of staff in boarding houses across Australia are not teachers. 
Anyway this is the core practice of ABSA, to train the people that look after our kids when they’re living away from home. I don’t know about you, but that really inspires me and how good is it to know that our boarding house staff aren’t just going through the motions. There’s a clear path to career progression and as you’ll hear from Richard, a definite enthusiasm for what they do.

Follow our podcast today.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this episode.

Enjoy this conversation with Richard Stokes.

Boarding Schools Expo Australia

ABSA

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly, who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Sophie Laing from Pymble Ladies’ College. Sophie is in Year 11 and hails from Tullamore, NSW. 

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Pymble Ladies’ College:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/pymble-ladies-college/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly, who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Jasper Brooker from Haileybury Rendall School, Darwin, NT. Jasper is in Year 8 and hails from Singapore! 

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Haileybury, Rendall:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/haileybury-rendall-school/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly, who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Ned Kennedy from The King’s School. Ned is in Year 12 and hails from Trangie, NSW. 

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

The King’s School:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/the-kings-school/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Each year we do a summer series for our incoming boarders called ‘Nailing Homesickness’ where I chat with current boarders from across Australia. We know that the schools, and friends will have sage advice for our kids before they head off - everyone really wanting to help alleviate the nerves of our new boarders. 

But truly,  who best to speak to than the boarders themselves? Our mission is to help our new boarders for 2025 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. I ask the students the same 5 questions for each interview, and you’ll find that each of them have different insights to offer. There are such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. 

Today I’m throwing the questions to Sarah Bertollo from Loreto Normanhurst. Sarah is in Year 12 and hails from Griffith, NSW. 

We would love you to share these student chats with any new boarders in your circle. If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base and help other families in their journey to boarding school. Follow our podcast Destination Boarding, and if you’ve got a spare minute then we’d love it if you left us a rating and even a review if your so inclined.

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you’ve got a new boarder in your household, we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Loreto Normanhurst:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/loreto-normanhurst/

Boarding Schools Expo:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Hello again, thanks for tuning in to Destination Boarding. Today, I sat down with Angie Nisbet from Married to the Land podcast. Let me tell you, this episode is a ripper. I've just returned from our final boarding schools expo in Mount Isa, where we were overwhelmed with the number of families that came through the door. It's only our second event in Mount Isa and our experience shows us that it takes time to build a following. 

Wow. Mount Isa, Cloncurry and families of the Northwest region of Queensland. You were awesome. What a great event to finish the year on. On the day, we hosted a live Q&A panel, which was facilitated by Angie and she really is a gifted interviewer with such a warmth and authenticity about her that people are instantly comfortable in her presence. Angie and I have been connected for just over 12 months now, but this was actually the first time we'd met in person and gosh, I love spending some time with her, short as it was. 

Look, the fact that she said, hell yes, when I came up with the last minute idea to host a panel discussion, only cemented my regard for her. I love a hell yes woman, and Angie is certainly one of those. Though, not without consideration of whether our values and direction align, and that they do. 

Angie headed over from her home just south of Hughenden and met a few of the panellists the night before. then straight into it at our event the following morning. It's not an easy gig dealing with other people's nerves and ensuring your interviewee feels at ease, that your questions are relevant to the listener, and then engaging a live audience. Honestly, Angie was a star. The sharing of information from the panellists to those families that came along was generous and heartfelt. 

I wish I'd heard it. But as these events go, I was flat chat welcoming people through the door. So here we are, a great wrap up conversation with Angie herself about the conversations and about our guest panellists. 

This conversation, this podcast will really appeal to families currently on their road through boarding school years and those that are about to begin, all looking towards their decisions. Enjoy.

Married To The Land: 

https://www.marriedtotheland.com

ICPA:

https://icpa.com.au

Boarding Schools Expo Australia:

https://boardingexpo.com.au

Thanks for listening to our podcast chat this week. We’re still on our ‘journey’ to Mount Isa - and if that’s not your jam maybe you know someone from Queensland or up around Mount Isa that might be keen to hear our chats with these families and schools? We’d love you to share it if you have a spare minute. 

In today’s episode  I’m with Jane Morris who is quite possibly the warmest Dean of Boarding you’ll ever meet.

Jane has been at Stuartholme in Brisbane for almost 4 years though has been involved in boarding schools for years. As Brisbane’s only girls catholic school Stuartholme has a history of over 100 years of education and not only that, they have remained committed to their boarding program with over 90% of their boarders hailing from rural and regional areas.

It’s hard to imagine a boarding house without heart and without authentic empathetic leadership - certainly this was the case just a few generations ago for many of our boarding schools but Stuartholme, under Jane’s leadership, embodies the very essence of what a boarding school should look like in 2024.

You’ll hear the love in Jane’s voice as she speaks of her boarders - we recorded this just as Year 12 were finishing their final exams and you can sense that her heart breaks just a little every year at this time though she’s quick to point out that a Stuartholme boarder doesn’t stay away for long. Returning for visits, or to tutor other boarders or coach sport - as so many do.

Jane’s love of community is at the centre of her aspirations for the boarders and their families.  Delivering the nurturing environment in partnership not only with staff, but also with her students and the broader school community is something that I don’t think Jane’s going to tire of anytime soon.

I honestly loved this chat with Jane - you’ll come away with a real understanding of what it takes to love being a member of a boarding school’s staff. 

Don’t forget to Follow our podcast that way you’ll never miss an episode and if you do have a spare minute would you please rate and review us wherever you’re streaming our podcast from? It will help others discover us. 

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Stuartholme: ⁠⁠ https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/stuartholme-school/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠⁠

I love my job. I need to tell you that because today’s chat was with someone who clearly loves their job too. 

To understand what I do, you need to understand that when families undertake to explore a boarding school education for their child it is, arguably, the most important decision they’ll make on behalf of their children. My job is to ensure they have access to the most authentic, hands on information possible - I go beyond the brochure and deep dive to find what makes each school tick. My team and I put the welcome mat out between our rural families and the schools.

And even once a family has decided and embarked on that road to boarding school, we continue to keep the info coming, keep the discussions going - so as rural and remote families we have every opportunity for connection and inclusion. Boarding Schools Expo helps parents to navigate that road right through to graduation. 

David Marriott Head of Boys Boarding at Scots PGC College in Warwick leads with similar conviction. You can hear it in is voice, he understands country kids, he understands the purpose of pastoral care and his commitment has been deepened by a career trajectory that began in education in the big smoke, Brisbane.

Scots PGC offers co-ed boarding in a rural setting - close enough to Brisbane, Toowoomba and the Gold Coast to provide the experiences for their charges, but far enough to experience what it means to be part of a ‘smallish’ community. 

They’ve been welcoming boarders for 106 years and they’re driven to continue finding the best of education opportunities for their students. We talked about so many things - cultural values, community connection, David’s love of boarding, how the co-ed boarding experience works for them, and their fantastic vocational program launching in 2025.

Hope you enjoy this and please follow and share if you’ve got a spare 10 seconds. We’d be so grateful and it will help other families find us.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

Scots PGC: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/the-scots-pgc-college/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Today’s chat is with the Director of Boarding at Brisbane’s St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, Lesa Fowler.

Lesa is a familiar figure in the remote and rural areas of Queensland having overseen the education of so many girls from these regions. She’s been nurturing and encouraging her boarders for 16 years and it’s a position she loves. 

St Margaret’s was established as a boarding school back in 1895  making it one of our country’s oldest boarding schools. Having grown over the years to accommodate 185 girls the campus is now located in Brisbane’s leafy Ascot close to the CBD.

These chats we’re having in the lead up to our Mount Isa Popup expo really serve to highlight the schools that are committed to our most remote families - for you to be able to learn a little bit more about them, and if your kids attend a different school then perhaps you can be inspired by something one our Mount Isa schools are doing and take that to your boarding community?

Lesa speaks with heartfelt warmth about their boarding program, the incredible impact banning phones has had on their school community and the very established links St Margaret’s has to our most remote families.

Enjoy this chat.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

St Margaret’s: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/st-margarets-anglican-girls-school/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome back to Destination Boarding and our series of conversations where we introduce you to the schools that are heading up to Mount Isa with us, along with a few of the families that call the north west of Queensland and the Territory home.

Today I had the loveliest conversation with Tom Floyd from John Paul College in Brisbane. Tom is a veteran of the Australian boarding school landscape having begun his career in boarding in 1984 at Guildford Grammar in WA - he was there for over 20 years.

Fast forward through a pandemic that saw Tom and his wife exit WA and dabble in retirement. Definitely not suitable they decided and it was then that he was offered the position of Head of Boarding at John Paul College.

JPC is a little unique, in that their boarding community is young - established in 2015 they’re relishing establishing their village as part of the larger school community. 

Honestly it didn’t matter what we talked about, whether it was the ‘notion’ of boutique boarding, the cross cultural influences on the boarders as they move through their years at JPC or the independence developed by each and every boarder, Tom speaks with heart and a noticeable endeavour to continue to build his village.

Enjoy my conversation with Tom Floyd.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

John Paul College:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/john-paul-college/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

We’re back with another episode of A Road To Mount Isa and today I’m chatting with Head of Boarding at St Peters Lutheran College, Stuart Delaney.

I was hit by the fan girl syndrome again with this chat… and if you can’t imagine why I would be fan girling over a conversation with a boarding school then let me throw a few names your way….. Ariana Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan, Jack Cartwright, Shayna Jack, Elijah Wittington, and the rockstar of Australian Swimming coaches, Dean Boxall. 

You guessed it, St Peters Lutheran College and St Peters Western Swim Club are one and the same. You must be a student at St Peters to even wet your big toe at St Peters Western Swim Club. 

And it doesn’t stop there for this co-ed boarding school, their cache of champions across a number of sporting disciplines is quite outstanding. Think Tori Lewis, currently the fastest runner in the country. They can’t be beaten on the netball court, with a list as long as your arm of National reps, they’ve got current students already signed to AFL and Rugby union. 

They welcome kids from right across Australia and overseas to board and have done since they opened their doors in 1945. In fact, St Peters began as a boarding school only with no day students. Now, they’re one of the largest schools in Queensland with around 2,300 students across two campuses.

I won’t give our whole chat away here - we probably could have chatted for hours. St Peters history with boarders from rural and remote Australia is long and we’re looking forward to heading back to Mount Isa with them.

Enjoy this episode with Stuart Delaney.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode. 

St Peters Lutheran College:

https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/st-peters-lutheran-college/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Here we are another episode of Destination Boarding - The Podcast, and this one is part of our Summit Series where we expand on the panel discussions we had for our Australian Boarding Schools Summit.

One of those topics was 'Big or Small, does size really matter when it comes to boarding cohorts?'

We speak to families often about this very topic, and there’s obviously pro’s and con’s for both. Ultimately, it comes down to you and your child. Understanding what’s best for their personality.

In this episode, we’re speaking with Director of Boarding at Assumption College, Danniella Yarman-Lalda about their boarding community. Assumption is a large school with a small boarding cohort and you’ll hear in this chat the opportunities that affords the students that are part of that boarding family.

I have a confession to make here. This is one of the first recordings I’ve done on a new platform and I got a bit cocky thinking I didn’t have to sit in my studio to record anymore…. Well my very noisy doggy thought this was too exciting and managed to yap her way through most of it. It was distracting for me, and I lost my train of thought a couple of times,  but I also didn’t want to stop and lose the valuable points that  Danniella was making.  Sometimes when you do that it’s just not the same the second time round.

This is a great conversation to listen to if you are wondering how smaller boarding schools ensure that their boarders are not lost in the throng of day students and it absolutely highlights the benefits of smaller boarding houses for those that are wondering.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn Productions for editing this episode.

Boarding Schools Expo

Assumption College

Hello again. Most of you listening to this series where we introduce you to the amazing schools that are coming with us to Mount Isa will know just how beautiful Toowoomba is - best known as the garden city and only an hour or two from Brisbane.

Today we’re chatting with Sharon Currie, Head of Boarding at The Glennie School which is located in the heart of Toowoomba. Sharon and her team lead their boarders with an optimism and confidence that seems to infect every area of boarding life not least the girls themselves.

I asked Sharon how Glennie ensures that their broader school community understands the life of a boarder, not only during term time at school but their life at home. The enthusiasm Sharon responded with as she detailed the various initiatives undertaken was heartwarming. Whether it’s open days at the boarding house for teachers of boarders, whether it was visiting families where they live or simply knowing each girls space - their bedroom, how they decorate it with things from home or pictures… staff gain a great understanding of their charges from these simple practices.

Glennie, like all of our schools coming to Mount Isa has a history of educating girls from our most remote regions and they proudly hold their boarders at the heart of everything they do. I hope you enjoy getting to know The Glennie School a little bit better.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

The Glennie School: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/the-glennie-school/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome back to our series ‘A ROAD TO MOUNT ISA’.

This week we are having the most authentic real time chat with Genevieve McDonald. Gen is from Cloncurry in north west Queensland - well about 40 minutes south of Cloncurry on their family cattle station Brightlands.

However, I caught up with Gen while she was at mini school at Gregory - about 6 hours north west of her home.  It was a hot day up north and she’d just had to do a bit of mechanical engineering to get the generator started again to ensure the caravan she was in had air con. She explained that living where they live necessitates that the Mums are definitely jack of all trades.

This conversation is peppered with lively interruptions that honestly illustrate life in remote QLD - from coordinating flight logistics with hubby Alistair who was on his way to Gregoryl with the very important Year 6 Graduation cake to being shown mini school creations by an enthusiastic daughter Eliza. 

We talked about the joys of mini schools which bring the kids together to learn and create and ultimately play - whether it’s a drama performance or swimming in the river after school. For these kids that learn in isolation these weeks are so so special. 

The conversation led to boarding school and the opportunities for our most remote families when it comes to offering their kids a different experience to one that they’re used to and the very real role our Isolated Children’s Parents Association plays in advocacy for families from these regions of Australia.

Our chat centred around the 25th Anniversary of Sports for Bush Kids week which, as you’ll learn, gives the kids their first taste of a variety of sports, music, drama and dance. And we’re heading up with 14 schools from all over Queensland to join the families in early December, we can’t wait.

Enjoy my time with Genevieve McDonald.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Brightlands Station: https://www.mdh.net.au/brightlands.html

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Today I’m chatting with Simon Murphy, Principal of Blackheath and Thornburgh College in Charters Towers.

Charters Towers is around an hour and a half from Townsville in far North Queensland. It’s a sizeable country town with around 12,000 people and there’s a cluster of boarding schools there - quite unique for a country town of that size. Simon mentions there’s three which employ over 550 staff and account for a combined 400 boarders. It must have a noticeable positive impact on the community I’m sure.

We speak about their boarders, and their involvement in the town around them and the effect the schools’ commitment toward cultural change from within is having,  not only on their own school community but the community at large.

There’s 160 boarders at BTC - 80 boys and 80 girls and Simon and I talk about the clear differences between the way the girl boarding students engage with their surroundings compared with the boys. He’s got a great insight into this.

Our real purpose here though is to explore BTC’s long history and association with remote families - since inception in fact back in 1919 they’ve been educating kids from the most far flung corners of Australia and that hasn’t changed.

Simon and his boarding team, led by Andy Thorne will be joining us in Mount Isa for our Popup expo event on the 2nd of December - it’s their 2nd visit with us and we’re looking forward to introducing them to more great families from the north west.

Here’s my chat with Simon Murphy.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Blackheath & Thornburgh College: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/blackheath-thornburgh-college/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Today we’re chatting with Luke Baills from The Cathedral School in Townsville. Luke is the new Head of School having previously headed up Cathedral’s Junior School for 10 years.  

Now it’s no surprise that Luke is looking forward to joining Boarding Schools Expo in Mount Isa. He spent 11 years as a Principal in and around Mount Isa, he actually met Steph his wife there. Steph’s family have a long history of cattle production up there and Luke’s keen to get back to the country he loves for our Expo. 

You’ll hear during our chat that he’s absolutely invested in The Cathedral School and their reach into far north and western Queensland - a number of their boarders hail from the region and as Luke tells us, they’ve been prioritising boarding since inception well over 100 years ago and with a recent $14 million dollar investment into boarding, sporting and education facilities this commitment doesn’t look like it’s going to lose momentum anytime soon.

Enjoy this conversation with Luke Baills.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

// Hello again - this week’s pod chat brought me such joy. I’ve been a fan of ‘Miss Chardy’ for years and finally got the chance to sit down with her and get the real story of life on a cattle station in the middle of ‘bum truck nowhere’.

For those of you not familiar with Dan’s alter ego ‘Miss Chardy’, she was born out of a need to connect with women everywhere and dispel some of the myths that surround our most outback women. I’ve been following along since the days when Miss Chardy and her neighbour, Mrs Savvy-B would meet on the boundary for a drink and a chat with the kids every week…. A committed journey of 120km. These meetings which turned into house weekends gave their children the joy of playing with other kids their own age - something we take for granted where we’ve raised our families. 

Dan speaks about the journey to boarding school for her three sons, and the realisation that her youngest, Clancy really needed to head off a bit earlier as 5 years on his own with nobody his own age was not giving him the full breadth of childhood experiences. So so tough for any Mum. He’s thriving, by the way, down in Brisbane at Marist College Ashgrove.

In fact, the whole family is thriving - and Dan is absolutely enjoying every moment of their years at Marist having made the trek from the Northern Territory down to Brisbane countless times.

Dan is most recently renown for her published cook books - she’s a bit of a sour dough guru and regularly does lives on social media sharing her skills with followers all over the world. Her infectious zest for life in remote Australia is breaking down barriers between city and country and there’s nothing more engaging that watching Dan on her travels between Mittibah and Mount Isa or Brisbane or an overseas trip with her mum and sister, or doing what she does with so much love which is feed the station crew. Like she says, the cook holds the crew together - feed them well and they’ll be happy.
Look I could keep going on with this introduction - we talk about ICPA, Sports for Bush Kids and her young life in Mudgee, NSW. But let’s get into this lively chat with Danielle Doyle ‘Miss Chardy’.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Welcome to Destination Boarding – the little podcast that tells the big story about Australian boarding schools.

I’m your host Amanda Ferrari from Boarding Schools Expo and in this series A Road to Mount Isa I’ll be introducing you to our schools that are heading to Mount Isa with us in December. 

During this podcast series we’re looking forward to getting to know our Queensland boarding schools that little bit better. We’re exploring their connections to our most remote families and their commitment or sense of social responsibility to ensure that families have access to face to face engagement with a variety of boarding schools – we all know that a website can only tell part of the story. It’s the people that bring any story to life. 

Imagine going to school, boarding school, where your learning was contextualised to suit where you were heading in life.  Where you had the chance to pursue your vocation, so to speak ? Where classroom time was alternated with workshop time. Where practical learning was in the next room to theory ? Where working in the industry you were keen on was experienced over months not one week. Where you developed your belief in your abilities and realised your potential.

Where, upon completion of Year 12 you were not only industry ready but understood completely the responsibilities of being a practicing technician and a valued employee. Imagine then, being head of a school that is facing Australia’s job challenge head on and providing real solutions for employers - employers that are undertaking some of our nation’s greatest projects.

Ross Jorgensen is the Principal of Tec-NQ based in Townsville, with campuses in Cairns and Mackay. But today we’re talking about Townsville because this landmark school has a boarding school too. 

From Year 10 this co-ed school allows kids to experience each of their offered disciplines from automotive, to construction, plumbing, electrical, engineering, health and hospitality along with the Australian school curriculum they’re do weeks of each vocation. 

Once they finish Year 10 they choose which vocation they’d like to strive for and strive they do, in an environment that completely replicates real world experiences - industry grade workshops and equipment. Industry mentors and expert teachers. In year 11 the kids will rotate every two weeks between classroom, trade workshop and work, with an added 13 weeks industry work experience. By year 12 the students are in the field for 21 weeks. All the while being guided and nurtured in a fraternity that meets their needs, their level of maturity and age.

Sound too good to be true? Well it’s happening in Queensland, it has been since 2007 and I couldn’t wait to get the inside story this week with Ted-NQ’s head of school. Imagine being in a position where you get to facilitate the further education of our future workforce ? To see those young people grow and thrive learning in a way that suits them and provides so much value to their community.

I know you’re going to want more information about this boarding school so I’ve put a link show notes.

Enjoy this chat with Ross Jorgensen.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Tec-NQ: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/tec-nq/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome to Destination Boarding – the little podcast that tells the big story about Australian boarding schools.

I’m your host Amanda Ferrari from Boarding Schools Expo and in this series A Road to Mount Isa I’ll be introducing you to our schools that are heading to Mount Isa with us in December. 

It’s our second event up north and this year we thought it was a great idea to coincide with Sports for Bush Kids week – a week where around 70 families travel hundreds of kilometres from Karumba in the north, Richmond to the east, Windorah to the south, and west into the Northern Territory, to take part in a number of sports. It’s hosted annually by the Isolated Children’s Parents Association Mount Isa Branch of the Air and this year, 2024 is their 25th Anniversary.  

During this podcast series we’re looking forward to getting to know our Queensland boarding schools that little bit better. We’re exploring their connections to our most remote families and their commitment or sense of social responsibility to ensure that families have access to face to face engagement with a variety of boarding schools – we all know that a website can only tell part of the story. It’s the people that bring any story to life. 

Boarding school is part of life for our rural and remote families and none more so than those in far north west Queensland and the Territory. We are excited to bring boarding schools closer to them so they can explore their options and meet key representatives from each school and really focus on discussing the key elements of what each school can provide for their biggest asset – their country child.  We’re so grateful to the 14 schools that will be joining us and encourage any others that are listening to register – it’s not too late to join the podcast event.

Joining us in Mount Isa this year is Anglican Church Grammar School from Brisbane. Well that’s their ‘official’ name but Churchie is how they’re known. 

I was looking forward to this chat as the new Head of Boarding at Churchie is Mike Symons, who has recently relocated to Brisbane with his family following 15 years at The King’s School in Sydney. Mike sat down with Churchie’s Headmaster, Dr Alan Campbell to talk to me about their boarding program and their very strong ties to rural and remote families.

Mike and Alan were completely engaging and the impassioned way they talk about their involvement with the education of young men from country Australia further cements the values on which Churchie was founded.

These chats go beyond the brochure, beyond the website. They show you that the people that lead our boarding schools do so with heart and an authenticity that can only provide assurance to families that their children are in good hands. 

Mike Symons became synonymous at King’s for community engagement and putting out a welcome mat that truly ensured everyone that came across his path was at ease. Whilst it’s early days for Mike at Churchie, you can absolutely hear that his practice of heartfelt leadership will endure and that Churchie will, without doubt, benefit from his appointment.

Churchie is hitting the road with us again this year as we head to Mount Isa and we’re looking forward to having them. 

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Churchie: https://boardingexpo.com.au/schools/anglican-church-grammar-school-churchie/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome to Destination Boarding – the little podcast that tells the big story about Australian boarding schools.

I’m your host Amanda Ferrari from Boarding Schools Expo and in this series A Road to Mount Isa I’ll be introducing you to our schools that are heading to Mount Isa with us in December. 

It’s our second event up north and this year we thought it was a great idea to coincide with Sports for Bush Kids week – a week where around 70 families travel hundreds of kilometres from Karumba in the north, Richmond to the east, Windorah to the south, and west into the Northern Territory, to take part in a number of sports. It’s hosted annually by the Isolated Children’s Parents Association Mount Isa Branch of the Air and this year, 2024 is their 25th Anniversary.  

During this podcast series we’re looking forward to getting to know our Queensland boarding schools that little bit better. We’re exploring their connections to our most remote families and their commitment or sense of social responsibility to ensure that families have access to face to face engagement with a variety of boarding schools – we all know that a website can only tell part of the story. It’s the people that bring any story to life. 

Boarding school is part of life for our rural and remote families and none more so than those in far north west Queensland and the Territory. We are excited to bring boarding schools closer to them so they can explore their options and meet key representatives from each school and really focus on discussing the key elements of what each school can provide for their biggest asset – their country child.  We’re so grateful to the 14 schools that will be joining us and encourage any others that are listening to register – it’s not too late to join the podcast event.

Thanks for listening to our podcast chat this week. We’re on our journey to Mount Isa this week with St Hilda’s School located on the Gold Coast.

Can you imagine heading off to boarding school from one of Australia’s most remote regions and landing on the sunny Gold Coast, home to miles and miles of golden beaches, theme parks, international events and let’s face it…schoolies week! I’m pretty sure I would have thrived as a boarder at St Hilda’s. 

The girls have access to all that the coast and it’s waterways offer, surf sports, rowing, swimming… incredible facilities on campus and off.

Today I’m chatting with Amanda Rigby, the Head of Boarding at St Hilda’s School and I remained fascinated with the notion of receiving a top notch education at a boarding school located in our country’s most renown holiday destination.

Needless to say there’s more to St Hilda’s than it’s location and Amanda warmly effuses the essence of community and education that exists for close to 185 boarders from all over the country, and overseas.

We talk about St Hilda’s connection to our most remote families in the north west of Queensland as we prepare to head up to Mount Isa. I’ve said it before, we’re truly grateful to the schools that our coming with us and this series serves to share the good news about these awesome boarding schools. 

Thank you for listening and please follow our podcast Destination Boarding and share this episode with a friend - or any of our episodes.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

St Hilda's School: https://www.sthildas.qld.edu.au

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome to Destination Boarding – the little podcast that tells the big story about Australian boarding schools.

I’m your host Amanda Ferrari from Boarding Schools Expo and in this series A Road to Mount Isa I’ll be introducing you to our schools that are heading to Mount Isa with us in December. 

It’s our second event up north and this year we thought it was a great idea to coincide with Sports for Bush Kids week – a week where around 70 families travel hundreds of kilometres from Karumba in the north, Richmond to the east, Windorah to the south, and west into the Northern Territory, to take part in a number of sports. It’s hosted annually by the Isolated Children’s Parents Association Mount Isa Branch of the Air and this year, 2024 is their 25th Anniversary.  

During this podcast series we’re looking forward to getting to know our Queensland boarding schools that little bit better. We’re exploring their connections to our most remote families and their commitment or sense of social responsibility to ensure that families have access to face to face engagement with a variety of boarding schools – we all know that a website can only tell part of the story. It’s the people that bring any story to life. 

Boarding school is part of life for our rural and remote families and none more so than those in far north west Queensland and the Territory. We are excited to bring boarding schools closer to them so they can explore their options and meet key representatives from each school and really focus on discussing the key elements of what each school can provide for their biggest asset – their country child.  We’re so grateful to the 14 schools that will be joining us and encourage any others that are listening to register – it’s not too late to join the podcast event.

Today I’m chatting with the energetic Head of Boarding at Marist College Ashgrove, Jim Noble. 

Jim has been a dedicated leader in Queensland boarding schools for years now and his role at Marist cements his love of educating rural kids, giving them not only a love of learning but a truly immersive experience in city living.

Marist College Ashgrove is a little unique for a city based school, in that it’s located so close to  Brisbane’s CBD though sits on close to 60 acres of land, trees and open spaces for the wildest at heart.  Jim recognises that this is an incredible gift for their boys that come from our most remote regions – definitely cushions the blow of landing in the big smoke, as we discuss in the podcast.

Enjoy this conversation with Jim Noble on our podcast.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Marist College Ashgrove: https://www.marash.qld.edu.au

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome to Destination Boarding - the little podcast that tells the big story about Australian boarding schools.

I’m your host Amanda Ferrari from Boarding Schools Expo and in this series A Road to Mount Isa I’ll be introducing you to our schools that are heading to Mount Isa with us in December. 

It’s our second event up north and this year we thought it was a great idea to coincide with Sports for Bush Kids week - a week where around 70 families travel hundreds of kilometres from Karumba in the north, Richmond to the east, Windorah to the south, and west into the Northern Territory, to take part in a number of sports. It’s hosted annually by the Isolated Children’s Parents Association Mount Isa Branch of the Air and this year, 2024 is their 25th Anniversary.  

During this series we’re looking forward to getting to know our Queensland boarding schools that little bit better. We’re exploring their connections to our most remote families and their commitment or sense of social responsibility to ensure that families have access to face to face engagement with a variety of boarding schools - we all know that a website can only tell part of the story. It’s the people that bring any story to life. 

Boarding school is part of life for our rural and remote families and none more so than those in far north west Queensland and the Territory. We are excited to bring boarding schools closer to them so they can explore their options and meet key representatives from each school and really focus on discussing the key elements of what each school can provide for their biggest asset - their country child.  We’re so grateful to the 14 schools that will be joining us and encourage any others that are listening to register - it’s not too late.

This episode was so so good. I managed to catch up with Katie Brown from Escott Station near Burketown in far North Queensland.

She was smack bang in the middle of Gregory mini-school and still carved out half an hour or so to chat with me about all things ICPA, Distance Education and what it’s like to send kids to boarding school from such remote regions.

Katie went to school in central Queensland, she was a day girl at a school that had boarders and as we know, boarders can have a massive impact in any day kids life given half the chance. She headed north to work as a governess on a station near Windorah, and, the rest is certainly her history. She met hubby Bernard in that first year - he was working on a neighbouring station - and together they have managed stations across northern Queensland and the territory.

Katie is a massive asset to remote northern Queensland. She’s a woman with an infectious energy and to say she’ll have a crack is probably an understatement.

She’s the current President of ICPA’s Mount Isa Branch of the Air - a branch which meets online and covers much of the top end of Australia. Part of her role is ensuring equity of access to educational opportunities for remote children and tackling issues in relation to secondary education whether that’s boarding schools, travel, assistance and the myriad of unique challenges that arise when home is hundreds of kilometres from a major centre.

One of the things we wanted to talk about is Sports for Bush Kids week which is held annually at Mount Isa to bring kids from Mount Isa School of the Air, Cloncurry and other towns together to learn sports, compete in sports and as I learned during our conversation, explore other extra curricular activities that wouldn’t normally be available to these kids.

We could have talked for much much longer but mini-school was waiting!

Hope you love this chat with Katie as much as I did.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing.

History of Escott Station: http://dropbears.com/australia/morning-glory/escott-history.htm

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Today’s episode is a particularly special one. We’re speaking with Sally Sweeney, CEO of Dolly’s Dream, an organisation that holds deep significance for so many rural and remote families across Australia. Founded in memory of Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett, who tragically took her own life at just 14 years old following relentless bullying and cyberbullying, Dolly’s Dream has become a national movement advocating for kindness, safety, and mental wellbeing—particularly in rural communities.

This episode isn’t just about raising awareness—it’s about connection. Sally and I talk about what makes Dolly’s Dream such a unique and impactful voice in the mental health space, especially for families living remotely and for young people transitioning to life at boarding school or working on isolated stations. Sally shares the heart and drive behind their programs, including their tailored workshops for schools, workplaces like AA Co stations, and their upcoming program specifically designed to support young people transitioning from remote education into secondary boarding life.

We also explore the important—and sometimes confronting—conversations about bullying. How do we spot it? How do we talk about it, both with our kids and with the adults around them? How do we educate not just the victims of bullying, but the bullies themselves—many of whom don’t even realise the harm they’re causing?

As a mum who’s walked the boarding school journey myself, these conversations strike right to the core of what we’re trying to do with this podcast: create a space where parents feel heard, seen, and supported. Parenting from afar comes with its own challenges—ones that don’t always get talked about. But together with organisations like Dolly’s Dream, we can start changing that.

Whether you’re a parent, a boarding staff member, or someone passionate about the wellbeing of young Australians, this episode will give you insight, empathy, and maybe even a few tools to better support the young people in your life. And for those of you heading to the Boarding Schools Expo in Emerald, you’ll have the chance to meet the Dolly’s Dream team and hear even more about their incredible new transition program.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this episode.

Boarding Schools Expo

Dolly's Dream

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here.

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Aspen Moore a boarder at Pymble Ladies’ College. Aspen is from Dubbo, NSW and started boarding school in Year 7.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Pymble Ladies' College: ⁠https://www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Gemma Turkington a boarder at Wenona School. Gemma is from Griffith, NSW.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Wenona School: https://www.wenona.nsw.edu.au/⁠

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Annabelle Williamson a boarder at Melbourne Girls Grammar School. Annabelle is from Quambatook, a town in northern Victoria. Annabelle headed off to boarding school in Year 9.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Melbourne Girls Grammar School: https://www.mggs.vic.edu.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Daniel Canellis a boarder at St Gregory's College, NSW. Daniel is from Boorowa, NSW. Daniel headed off to boarding school in Year 7. 

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

St Gregory's College, Campbelltown: https://www.stgregs.nsw.edu.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Rose Fisher a boarder at Methodist Ladies' College (MLC), Melbourne VIC. Rose is from Browns Plains near Wodonga, VIC. Rose headed off to boarding school in Year 9.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Methodist Ladies' College (MLC): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mlc.vic.edu.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Annie Triggs a boarder at Scots All Saints College, Bathurst NSW. Annie is from Wantagong near Holbrook, NSW and headed off to boarding school in Year 7.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Scots All Saints College: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://scotsallsaints.nsw.edu.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome to Destination Boarding wherever you’re tuning in from.

For those of you that are new to our podcast we are here to share the stories of boarding school life in Australia - many of our conversations are with ex-boarders or parents of boarders and lately we’ve been talking with some of the schools themselves about what makes their boarding community unique and how they feel about having boarders from across Australia and overseas as part of their broader school community.

Today’s chat is with Head of Frensham school in Mittagong NSW, Geoff Marsh. Geoff has made his entire career in education as a Physics and Chemistry teacher but it was following a stint with the Sydney Olympic Committee leading up to the 2000 Olympics that he understood what it took to bring a team together for the benefit of the community.

Over the past couple of decades since he has led in various capacities both at Frenhsam and other independent schools and now is proud to be the Head at the school he and his family has spent almost 20 years at. 

Physics, chemistry, ex-olympian, businessman …. Is this what it takes to lead one of (if not the largest) girls boarding schools in Australia ? 

Let’s find out in this chat with Geoff Marsh.

Frensham: https://www.frensham.nsw.edu.au/

Boarding Schools Expo: ⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/

Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast is here. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Quenton Brooking a boarder at Haileybury Rendall School, Darwin. Quenton is from Derby, WA and headed off to boarding school in Year 11.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Haileybury Rendall School: ⁠https://www.haileyburyrendall.com.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

You may have heard of Oli through his wildly successful podcast Humans of Agriculture where he shares the stories of agriculture with the aim of connecting, engaging and inspiring people towards a happier, healthier and more prosperous planet.

He’s definitely on a mission…. Sharing the stories to showcase why the future is in agriculture.

It’s a mission that began with a family that originally came from the land - with childhood holidays spent on his Uncles farm in western Victoria while growing up in Sydney, and broadened as he made more country friends  as a day student at Sydney boarding school Knox Grammar.

From Sydney Uni, to Marcus Oldham, with a year jackarooing at Harden after school and another year in Canada this champion of agriculture has an incredible drive to ensure that Australian’s everywhere remain connected to where their food and fibre comes from and in cementing that connection they understand how agriculture can lead to a prosperous world.

If you haven’t listened to Oli’s podcasts check them out at Humans of Agriculture…After you listen to this chat. Enjoy.

Humans of Agriculture: https://humansofagriculture.com/

Boarding Schools Expo: ⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/

It’s here…Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Lucy Hall a boarder at St Catherine's School, Sydney. Lucy is from West of Parkes and headed off to boarding school in Year 7.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

St Catherine's School, Sydney: https://www.stcatherines.nsw.edu.au

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Welcome back and thanks for putting us in your ears. The best thing you can do for our little podcast is follow it and share it with your friends. Some episodes may be of particular interest to you or someone you know and we’d love it if you helped more families to know the story of Australian boarding schools.

This week I’m chatting with Rebecca Ryan from Gunnedah. You might remember Rebecca from our recent Australian Boarding Schools Summit, where she was part of our panel unpacking the age-old question: does size really matter when it comes to choosing a boarding school?

It’s a topic that can stir plenty of discussion — especially when schools change the size of their boarding cohort. But as you’ll hear, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Rebecca beautifully explains how it all comes back to knowing what matters most to your family and your child.

Rebecca shares how faith, family, and familiarity guided her family’s decision-making process, ultimately leading her daughter Olivia to Loreto Normanhurst — where she’s not only thriving but discovering her passions.

There’s a lot to love in this episode, especially the way Rebecca speaks about the connection between city and country, and how the right school can feel like home, no matter its size.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing this podcast episode.

Loreto Normanhurst

It’s here...Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast. Each week right through the summer school holidays we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Sophia Slater a boarder at Loreto Normanhurst in Sydney, NSW. Sophia is from Singleton and headed off to boarding school in Year 7.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Loreto Normanhurst: https://www.loretonh.nsw.edu.au/

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠

Here we are again, another week, another great chat with someone that went to boarding school. You know I’m always on the look out for interesting people to talk to about their experience of boarding school - whether they were a boarder, or whether they were ‘infected’ by the country spirit of the boarders that were at their school - it’s always lovely to share the story.  Please get in touch with me if you have someone you know would be great to hear from.

This week’s convo is with renown watercolour artist Sarah Smith. I really loved talking with Sarah and while we had a few connectivity issues I think you’ll enjoy her calm and confident style. Her reflections of her time at Kincoppal in Sydney’s eastern suburbs as a full time boarder are genuinely heartfelt and I think it’s really timely to hear of her struggles with homesickness during the first couple of years.

As she so beautifully puts it, you never really lose that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you leave home at the beginning of each term but the gathering of strength, the warmth of friendships made and the realisation of the opportunities along the way certainly lessen the depth of the pit over the years.

Sarah hails from Nevertire, a tiny rural village on the edge of the western slopes and plains in NSW. She is the second of five children (and one of five daughters I might add) to Jen and Mal Smith  who are sheep and cattle farmers with cropping thrown in for good measure.

Here she speaks of her idyllic upbringing and her years at boarding school. Though it’s the 10 years since boarding school where she’s discovered via two careers her genius for intricate watercolour paintings and the bonus of enthusiastic boarding school mates who champion her achievements loudly and proudly.  We did have a bit of a giggle about her 10 year reunion this year, she can’t quite believe she’s at the 10 year mark and we certainly had a bit of a laugh.  To hear that her year group is as tight as ever really affirms the strength of bonds made in a boarding school community.

I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did.

Sarah Smith Watercolour: https://www.sarahwatercolour.com/

Boarding Schools Expo: ⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/

This week we sit down with Adam Larby, Head of The King’s School, Tudor House. 

Adam Larby is the son of immigrants - a mother of Chinese heritage and a British father - who came to Australia and settled their young family in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Adam’s childhood was a pretty good one, Coogee beach down the road and a great education at some of Sydney’s best schools including senior years at The Scot’s College.

If podcasts were a visual medium you would see how his eyes light up when he speaks about his adventures at Glengarry (Scots bush campus where students in Year 9 spend half a year) and as he points out it was in it’s early days and not the sophisticated set up it is today.

Anyway this episode is not about Scots, but it was here that Adam discovered boarding and spent time during his senior years as a weekly boarder and then on to a gap year in Canada at one of their most renown boarding schools. 

Once he returned, the obligatory degree in Arts at Sydney Uni - where generations of students who aren’t quite sure what they want to do or be have gone before him. But for Adam, whose connections to his school remained strong, he decided that a career in education was going to light his fire so to speak.

His love for education and wide open spaces have now come together and he is the newish’ Head of The King’s School, Tudor House campus. A preparatory day and boarding school for boys and girls from across Australia and overseas.

Prep boarding is not common in Australia, in fact Tudor House is one of only a couple that offer dedicated primary aged boarding. 

I really wanted to know what it’s like for kids that live away from home from such a young age, and why parents choose that. Adam takes us through a day in the life of a Tudorian and of course we chat about the history of Tudor House - how the school came to be connected with The King’s School and the reasons behind the schools’ decision to go co-ed in the past few years. 

Kids do thrive here - it sounds idyllic. Everything you could possibly imagine ! I wanted to know more about Tudor House and preparatory boarding and that’s why I lined up this interview with Adam. 

Enjoy.

The King's School, Tudor House: https://www.tudorhouse.nsw.edu.au/

Boarding Schools Expo: https://boardingexpo.com.au/

Boarding Expo 365: https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/

It’s here…Our Summer Series of Destination Boarding the podcast. Each week right through the summer school holidays (kicking off with a head start this week) we’ll be having short chats with the boarders themselves. 

We are often asked how we select our students for this series. Well, it’s quite simple…. Each year we produce the Australian Boarding Schools Summit, an online event just for families of boarders where we discuss all things boarding.  There are a number of schools from across Australia that partner with us to cover the costs of producing around 3.5 hours of content that you can watch on demand throughout the year.  

Each of those schools are asked to nominate one of their boarders for us to speak with about settling into boarding school. Around half of our partner schools are represented in this series.

Today we hear from Chavela Ellis a boarder at Canberra Grammar School. Chavela is from Queanbeyan and headed off to boarding school in Year 8.

This is our second annual Summer Series “Nailing Homesickness”  and this year Amanda chats with boarders from across Australia, all the while she’s on a mission to help our new boarders for 2024 feel that little bit more confident about heading off. 

“I ask the students the same 6 questions for each interview and you’ll hear that each of their insights are different,” Amanda said.

“The boarders I get to talk with offer such wise and heartfelt tips about how to cope with the feelings of homesickness along with advice on settling in at your new boarding school. Who better to talk to than the boarders themselves!”

We would love you to share our Summer Series with any new boarders in your world. And if you enjoy the podcast please help us grow our listener base by following, liking and rating. 

We hope you and your family enjoy our Summer Series and if you happen to have a new boarder in your household we wish you all the very best of years ahead.

Canberra Grammar School: ⁠https://cgs.act.edu.au/⁠

Boarding Expo: ⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠