Laura Wilson can watch her children ride their bikes to school. It’s only 500 metres up the road from their home in Quilpie, but that doesn’t stop her getting teary when the holidays finish.
So, boarding school? She knows it’s coming. She would just prefer not to think about it quite yet.
I met Laura at Motherland in Quilpie last year, where she helped bring local mums together for a wonderful weekend. She exudes warmth, and this conversation felt like catching up with a friend. A friend with six children, plenty happening at home and a very familiar mix of excitement and emotion about what comes next.
Laura grew up around Walgett, the eldest of five, with motorbikes, cubby houses and the freedom to spend whole days outside. Her family later moved to Queensland, bringing them closer to the Toowoomba schools the children would attend.
After a year at Toowoomba Prep, Laura went to Fairholme. And she loved it. The friendships, the sport, the boarding community and the opportunities all left their mark.
So did watching her parents work to make it possible. Her dad harvesting from daylight to dark. Her mum feeding workers, doing parts runs and raising five children. And both of them in tears at drop-off.
Now Laura and her partner Jake are raising their own family in Quilpie, where their transport business is based. There are chickens hatching, potty lambs to feed and children heading out mustering. There’s a great deal to love.
But accessing opportunities can take considerable effort. Laura describes packing six children into the car for a 600-kilometre return trip for two ten-minute games of rugby league. Suddenly, having sport available at school sounds rather wonderful.
Her eldest daughter, Camilla, is already asking which activities she’ll be able to try at boarding school. Laura is excited for her. She’s also her mum, and those feelings don’t politely take turns.
We talk about our first Charleville event and how meeting schools side by side can help families begin exploring. Even when you have a familiar school in mind, there’s value in discovering what else is out there and asking your own questions.
This is a warm, honest conversation about loving the childhood your children have while wanting more opportunities for their future.
Listen to Laura’s episode of Letters from Home, and pre-register for one of our Expos. You don’t need all the answers to come along.
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