Letters From Home

Amanda Ferrari
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Welcome to Letters from Home, a podcast dedicated to Australian boarding families. Hosted by Amanda Ferrari, the show explores all aspects of boarding life - from packing for the first time to life as a boarder & beyond. Amanda interviews graduates who share how boarding shaped their lives, with families about their journey to and through boarding school, speaks with schools about their unique programs, & hosts an annual "Nailing Homesickness" miniseries to help new boarders. Our podcast is essential listening for boarding families and staff, we welcome your feedback, reviews, & ratings.

  1. Oct 6

    She loved boarding school. Sending her own kids is another story.

    Laura Wilson loved boarding school. Thinking about sending her own children is proving a little more emotional. A mum of six, nurse by trade and partner to Jake in their Quilpie transport business, Laura joins Amanda for a warm, funny and very relatable conversation about country childhoods, family life and the opportunities we want for our children. From growing up around Walgett to boarding at Fairholme in Toowoomba, Laura reflects on lifelong friendships, parents who worked tirelessly to make it possible, and the goodbye hugs that had everyone in tears. Now raising her own family in outback Queensland, she’s beginning to consider what boarding might look like from the other side. When Saturday sport can mean a 600-kilometre return trip with six children for two ten-minute games, access to opportunity takes on a whole new meaning. We chat about: Growing up with four siblings, motorbikes and room to roam. Loving boarding school while finding the thought of your own children leaving difficult. The distance, the family juggle and staying connected. Sport and the possibilities that excite Laura’s children. Comparing schools beyond the familiar names. The laughter, home-cooked meals and freedom Laura hopes her children remember. Come and meet us in Charleville Our first Charleville Pop-up is at Charleville RSL, 37–39 Watson Street: Sunday 18 October 2026, 2.30–5.30 pm. Monday 19 October 2026, 8.30 am–1.30 pm. Admission is free. Come along even if you already have a preferred school or are only beginning to explore. View the event and pre-register. Keep listening What It Really Feels Like to Leave Home at 12: Amanda’s conversation with Annabel Ferrari. Explore more Visit The Boarding School Collective for events, school information and resources for your family. Follow or subscribe to Letters from Home to hear each new episode as it drops.

    She loved boarding school. Sending her own kids is another story.

  2. Sep 29

    Keep Knocking: Jackson Dowling and the Courage to Do Hard Things

    In this episode of Letters from Home, Amanda speaks with Jackson Dowling, a Registered Nurse, Midwife and Flight Nurse with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, based in Dubbo. Growing up in Port Macquarie, Jackson was beginning to disengage from school when he decided to apply for a scholarship to attend The Scots College in Sydney. His first application was unsuccessful. Encouraged by a trusted mentor, he applied again and was awarded the opportunity that would change the direction of his life. Jackson speaks candidly about the culture shock of arriving at boarding school in Year 10, the academic ground he needed to make up and his decision to accept every piece of support available to him. He shares the importance of “embracing the suck factor”, digging in when things are difficult and learning that confidence often comes after we have proved to ourselves that we can persevere. We also discuss Jackson’s Aboriginal identity, the connections and questions boarding school encouraged him to explore, and the privilege he now feels serving rural, remote and Indigenous communities through his work. Today, Jackson is completing postgraduate studies in clinical paramedic practice. With nursing, midwifery, emergency medicine and aeromedical retrieval already behind him, his story is a powerful reminder that opportunities matter, but so does what we choose to do with them. Applying for a boarding scholarship and being turned down Finding the courage to apply again Beginning boarding school in Year 10 Academic support, mentorship and belonging Remaining connected to home and culture Learning to persevere through discomfort The pathway from boarding school to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Jackson’s advice for young people and families considering boarding Families beginning to explore boarding are warmly invited to meet schools, compare options and ask questions at our upcoming events: Charleville Boarding Schools Expo, 18 and 19 October 2026 Mount Isa Boarding Schools Expo, 30 November 2026 Pre-register for an Expo These events are designed for families who are still asking questions and wondering whether boarding school might give their children greater opportunities while allowing their family to remain living and working in the community they love. Continue Listening... What It Really Feels Like to Leave Home at 12: An Honest Conversation with My Daughter Annabel Learn more about the Royal Flying Doctor Service Learn more about the Spirit of the Bush Scholarship In this episode Explore the possibilities of boarding school.

    Keep Knocking: Jackson Dowling and the Courage to Do Hard Things

  3. Sep 22

    Letting Her Go, Watching Her Fly.

    What happens when boarding school isn't simply about accessing a broader education, but about opening opportunities for a child that may be difficult to access at home? In this episode of Letters from Home, Amanda talks with Heidi Shoecraft, who came to Australia from Denmark as a 19-year-old agricultural exchange student and built a life with her husband Derek and their three children near Theodore in Central Queensland. Heidi shares the family's introduction to boarding school and the very different questions they faced when considering boarding for their daughter Maia, who has mild cerebral palsy affecting the left side of her body. They talk about preparing a child with a physical disability for boarding, asking schools the right questions, trusting boarding staff, friendships, independence and knowing when your child is genuinely ready. But this is also a conversation about opportunity. Boarding school has given Maia access to regular athletics training and specialist coaching as she pursues her love of discus and an extraordinary dream...one day competing at the Paralympics. Heidi also shares how Maia inspired her own seven-year journey back to university to become an exercise physiologist, and why access to allied health professionals remains such an important issue for rural families. Mentioned in this episode The Boarding School Collective – find information about boarding schools, resources for families and register for our upcoming Boarding Schools Expo Popups in Charleville, 18–19 October, and Mount Isa, 30 November. For lots of practical tips around children, development and everyday life, Amanda also recommends following her daughter Annabel, an occupational therapist, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theotcollective_tamworth/ @theotcollective_tamworth And don't forget to follow or subscribe to Letters from Home wherever you listen to your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

    Letting Her Go, Watching Her Fly.

  4. Sep 15

    What happens when a naturally ambitious country kid is given the opportunity to spread her wings?

    In this episode of Letters from Home, Amanda sits down with Jess Redfern, founder of SAVVI the Label, entrepreneur, mum of three little ones and former boarder, for a warm and wonderfully colourful conversation about opportunity, independence, motherhood and backing yourself. Jess shares the remarkable story of deciding in Year 8 that she wanted to go to boarding school, sitting her parents down at the dining room table with the paperwork she'd printed and an interview she'd already organised. It wasn't a pathway her family had previously considered and it required real sacrifice. But boarding school gave Jess something she now recognises as pivotal. It allowed her to step outside the identity she'd grown up with and discover who she was on her own terms. Jess talks about the networks and experiences boarding opened up, the independence of living away from home and the confidence that followed her into adult life. We also explore why, despite living in Wellington with secondary options nearby, she and husband Jack are considering boarding for their own children, not because it's simply what Jess did, but because of the broader opportunities and perspectives it can offer. We follow Jess's wonderfully varied entrepreneurial journey through fitness, wellness, disability services and now SAVVI the Label, before discovering the heart behind SAVVI the Foundation and its grants supporting women to take their own next bold step. And with three children under three, Jess also shares what she hopes her daughter learns from watching her build a business alongside motherhood, and what she hopes her boys learn about the strength and capability of women. Find Jess and SAVVI Follow @savvithelabel on Instagram. Discover the work of @savvithefoundation. Coming up with The Boarding School Collective We're heading to Charleville on 18–19 October for our first Boarding Schools Expo Popup in the region, followed by Mount Isa on 30 November. Meet boarding schools face-to-face, ask the questions that matter to your family and discover the opportunities available to your children. Register free via The Boarding School Collective.

    What happens when a naturally ambitious country kid is given the opportunity to spread her wings?

  5. Sep 8

    The Schools That Let Them Stay Home

    What does boarding school really look like when home is a station north of Alice Springs and school is in Toowoomba? In this episode of Letters from Home, Amanda talks with Sally Muenster, a qualified teacher, mother of four and, with husband Dan, owner and manager of Yambah Station. After fourteen years on a property north of Bourke, Sally and Dan followed a long-held dream and moved their family to the Northern Territory. But their eldest son was already settled at boarding school in Toowoomba, and their next child was preparing to join him. Rather than allow distance to undo a schooling decision that was working for their family, they found a way to make it work. Amanda and Sally talk about: Life and education on a station and the Alice Springs School of the Air communityWhy Sally chooses to be in the schoolroom during each child's final year before boardingMoving thousands of kilometres further away after choosing a boarding schoolThe flights, driving and logistics involved in getting three children to school in ToowoombaWhy boarding provides opportunities that simply aren't available in the schoolroom at homeThe emotional reality of leaving your children on the other side of AustraliaSally's mid-term visit “non-negotiable”Recognising when a boarding child is beginning to disconnect from homeThe boarding parent community and families supporting one anotherThe unexpected joy for parents of getting off the station and becoming part of another communityWhy schools need to understand the difference between country and genuinely remote boardersThe independence and responsibility of station children versus the restrictions of boarding lifeWhy access to boarding school can enable rural and remote families to remain living and working where they areWhat it could mean for rural and remote communities if boarding school became inaccessible to familiesA warm, practical and deeply relatable conversation about separation, opportunity, connection and why sometimes sending children away is what makes it possible for a family to stay.

    The Schools That Let Them Stay Home

  6. Sep 1

    She Never Planned to Marry a Farmer

    How does a city girl from inner Melbourne become a farmer's wife in Central West NSW? In this episode of Letters From Home, Amanda Ferrari sits down with Georgie Cavanagh, co-founder of luxury Australian linen brand Carlotta & Gee, to explore the unexpected journey that began with what was meant to be, one year at boarding school. Together they discuss: Georgie's Year 9 boarding experience as a city student.The friendships that introduced her to rural Australia.How boarding school fostered independence and adaptability.Building Carlotta & Gee from a handful of pre-orders into a luxury international brand.Why she's now embracing rural life and raising her own family on a farm.Her thoughts on one day sending her own children to boarding school. This is a conversation about courage, curiosity and how life's biggest turning points are often the ones we never see coming. Learn more about Carlotta & Gee Carlotta & Gee If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with another family navigating their own boarding school journey.

    She Never Planned to Marry a Farmer

  7. Aug 25

    She Came to Bourke for Six Months... and Found the Life She Was Meant to Live

    What happens when a six-month adventure turns into a lifetime? In this episode, Amanda sits down with Prue Ritchie, General Manager of Bourke's Preschool and Long Day Care Centre, Barwon Woman of the Year and mother of three boarding school students. Prue shares the remarkable story of arriving in Bourke as a teenage governess, falling in love with both the community and the man she would marry, and building a life dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families living in remote Australia. Together they discuss: Growing up in Sydney before discovering a love of remote Australia.Choosing to raise children in Bourke despite the sacrifices that come with distance.Preparing children for boarding school.Parenting children with ADHD and learning differences.Why early intervention can change a child's future.Selecting a boarding school based on pastoral care and wellbeing.Navigating the emotional Year 12 "lasts."What Australia could do differently to improve opportunities for rural and remote children.This is a conversation about belonging, resilience, community and choosing a life you never expected—but would never change.

    She Came to Bourke for Six Months... and Found the Life She Was Meant to Live

  8. Aug 18

    The Ripple Effect: Rowing, Belonging and the Bush

    What happens when you take a sport traditionally associated with city rivers, school boat sheds and fiercely competitive regattas - and put it in the middle of the Australian outback? You get something that is about far more than rowing. In this episode of Letters from Home, Amanda speaks with farmer, former Brisbane Grammar boarder and President of Outback Rowing Australia, David Counsell. David shares how rowing first captured him during his final year at Brisbane Grammar, how the Vikings Rowing Club helped spark the idea of taking boats west, and how a recreational lake at Barcaldine became part of an ambitious movement to make rowing accessible across rural and remote Australia. They talk about the extraordinary benefits of rowing for physical and mental wellbeing, the friendships and sense of belonging that grow around a crew, and why rowing doesn't have to end when a country child leaves boarding school and comes home. David also puts out a challenge to boarding families: if you love rowing, bring your kids and their mates west during the school holidays and become part of the Australian Outback Rowing Regatta. And if your own country town has a suitable stretch of water, perhaps your community could be next. The 2026 Australian Outback Rowing Regatta and Convoy runs from 30 September to 5 October, combining the journey through regional Queensland with racing at Barcaldine and Longreach. Outback Rowing describes its mission as improving health, wellbeing and social connection in rural and remote communities by making rowing accessible, inclusive and community driven. LINKS Outback Rowing Australia — website, events and getting involved Churchie — Anglican Church Grammar School Brisbane Grammar School To find your nearest Outback Rowing community - or to put your hand up to help establish one - Outback Rowing also welcomes enquiries from first-time rowers, returning rowers, schools and supporters.

    The Ripple Effect: Rowing, Belonging and the Bush
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About

Welcome to Letters from Home, a podcast dedicated to Australian boarding families. Hosted by Amanda Ferrari, the show explores all aspects of boarding life - from packing for the first time to life as a boarder & beyond. Amanda interviews graduates who share how boarding shaped their lives, with families about their journey to and through boarding school, speaks with schools about their unique programs, & hosts an annual "Nailing Homesickness" miniseries to help new boarders. Our podcast is essential listening for boarding families and staff, we welcome your feedback, reviews, & ratings.

Information

  • Creator
    Amanda Ferrari
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    138
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Amanda Ferrari
  • Show Website
    Letters From Home

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