The Spirit of the Bush Scholarship Foundation empowers rural, regional and remote families to access quality education without leaving their communities. Developed by rural families for rural families, the program delivers measurable, lasting impact – strengthening workforce continuity, regional sustainability and social cohesion. Corporate and philanthropic partners play a vital role in ensuring these communities remain strong, resilient and prosperous, helping the next generation thrive while preserving the spirit that sustains rural Australia.
The Spirit of the Bush Scholarship is more than a scholarship. It’s a movement to sustain the very heart of rural, regional and remote Australia.
Developed by rural families, for rural families, the scholarship honours the resilience, contribution and spirit that bush kids bring to our boarding schools – strengthening community, belonging and culture across the whole school.
It’s about ensuring that families can access opportunity without leaving the places they love, and that the communities they belong to continue to thrive for generations to come
“Spirit of the Bush opens doors to opportunity while keeping families connected to the land, towns and communities that are the very fabric of rural Australia.”
Amanda Ferrari Chair Spirit of the Bush Foundation
Every year, families across rural and remote Australia face an impossible choice: stay and risk limited education options, or leave and risk losing the communities they’ve helped build.
The Spirit of the Bush Scholarship exists to change that. By supporting families to educate their children beyond the limitations of their postcode, we help ensure that small towns and rural industries retain their most valuable asset – their people.
This program recognises that the decision to send a child to boarding school isn’t just about education – it’s about preserving community, opportunity, and identity.
“We believe in the spirit of our kids and the contribution that spirit makes to their schools – igniting a sense of belonging, pride and purpose.”
Amanda Ferrari Chair Spirit of the Bush Foundation
For many families in the bush, education comes with obstacles that city-families rarely face. Across rural and remote Australia:
These structural inequities mean that families in the bush often feel forced to leave their home communities to access the full breadth of education their children deserve. By supporting the Spirit of the Bush Scholarship, partners help create a pathway that respects choice – enabling families to remain in place while empowering their children to achieve.
By contributing to the Spirit of the Bush Foundation, you’re investing in something far greater than a scholarship. You’re helping build stronger rural communities, resilient families, and thriving industries.
Your donation helps us:
All gifts are tax-deductible, with every dollar contributing directly to scholarships that change lives and, in turn, change communities.
“We created the Spirit of the Bush Scholarship to ensure that rural, regional and remote families don’t have to leave their communities to access quality education”
Amanda Ferrari Chair Spirit of the Bush Foundation
The scholarship is guided by values that reflect who we are as rural Australians. Final selection criteria are being developed with our Foundation’s Advisory Board and will include:
Your partnership ensures that the children of today can grow into the leaders, innovators and custodians of tomorrow – right from the bush.
When you contribute to the Spirit of the Bush Foundation, you are:
All gifts are tax-deductible, with every dollar contributing directly to scholarships that change lives and, in turn, change communities.
The Spirit of the Bush Scholarship stands as a promise – that no child’s opportunity should be limited by where they live, and no community should lose the people who make it strong.We invite corporate partners, philanthropic foundations, and individuals to join us in this shared mission. Together, we can ensure that every family sees the possibility of a good education as theirs, and that every community remains vibrant, sustainable and proud.
Partner with us. Invest in legacy. Nurture the spirit of the bush.
Enquire About Partnership Opportunities
I would like to partner with the ‘Spirit of the Bush’ Foundation