Boarding Life
Going the Distance
Recently, I travelled to Cleve for the Eyre Peninsula Field Days to represent Boarding at Loreto. Accompanied by Admissions Manager, Laura Crafter, I spent three days on the Peninsula, providing a wonderful opportunity to meet prospective and new boarding families, reconnect with Old Scholars, and spend time with many of our current families.
Our journey began with a flight to Whyalla, followed by the drive to Cleve. The Eyre Peninsula is looking particularly green after recent rain, and it was a privilege to spend several days in a region so many of our girls call home. A highlight was our Loreto community catch-up, where we could spend time with families away from the busyness of the Field Day and even the briefness of the Boarding Reception desk.
There is real value in taking time to travel beyond the Marryatville gates and into the communities from which our boarders come. Travelling some of these roads ourselves provides a greater appreciation of the distances regularly covered by our girls and their families. What can appear on our calendar as simply the beginning or end of term can represent many hours of travel, careful planning and considerable commitment from families.
Importantly, these visits also increase our understanding of the places that have shaped our boarders. Our girls come to us from regional and remote communities across South Australia and interstate, as well as from overseas, each bringing experiences and perspectives that enrich both our Boarding House and the wider College community. While we may not be able to visit every place our girls call home, opportunities such as the Eyre Peninsula Field Days help us better understand the very different lives our boarders return to when they leave us at the end of each term.
We are grateful for the warm welcome we received in Cleve, and look forward to continuing to go the distance, with Lucindale and Paskeville Field Days firmly on our radar for 2027.
Jane Grech
Senior Director of Boarding and Strategic Projects
Communication Channels for Boarding Parents and Families
