When Daniel Bashford and his wife moved their family from the Hunter Valley to Walgett, boarding school wasn’t part of the plan.
Daniel had taken up a promotion with the NSW Police, and together they embraced the move as a way to raise resilient, adaptable young people. What they found in Walgett surprised them – a welcoming community, strong friendships, local sport, and a sense of belonging that challenged the town’s often-misunderstood reputation.
But alongside the positives came a confronting reality: local schooling options were limited. And as conversations among their daughters’ peers turned to boarding school, Daniel and his wife found themselves facing a decision they never expected to make.
In this heartfelt episode of Letters from Home, Daniel shares what it’s like to navigate boarding school from the outside – without family history, without prior knowledge, and without seeing yourself as “that type” of family. He speaks candidly about the emotional weight of sending children away, the myths around elitism and privilege, the importance of research, and the financial realities many families fear.
Their journey ultimately led them to The Glennie School in Toowoomba, where their eldest daughter is beginning her boarding chapter – confident, excited, and already changed by the resilience she’s built through rural life.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that boarding school isn’t just for farming families. It’s a pathway chosen by teachers, police, nurses, defence families and others who want to stay in the bush while still opening doors for their children.
A thoughtful, honest story about parenting from afar – and choosing possibility when local options fall short.
