School holidays can look very different for boarding school families. After long terms apart, time together becomes the priority — not ticking off must-see lists, but finding places that let everyone slow down, reconnect and just be. We asked three boarding school mums to share their favourite holiday destinations and why these places keep calling them back, year after year.
Georgie Robertson – Houseboat Holiday, Murray River, SA
Swim. Jump off the roof. Biscuit behind a skiboat. Play UNO. Read a bit. Get bored. Float down the river. Repeat.
This summer, our family of seven returned to a favourite holiday spot on the Murray River in South Australia.
Where for one week our lives were confined to 170 square metres – and yet, the contracting of space gives way to a spaciousness, as it does every year, in a way that I cannot fully explain.
Houseboats are my version of calm which feels illogical, given the chaos and ZERO personal space that in any other world would drive you a little crazy. You literally cannot go anywhere – no shops, boujee restaurants or cafes selling $6 lattes. But with that comes less decision-making and fewer expectations, deeper conversations and more room for simply being together.
I read a recent BBC article arguing that in a world defined by constant decision-making and low-grade stress, travellers are increasingly rejecting novelty in favour of repetition. Families are returning to the same destinations year after year. Psychologists suggest predictability matters – when people know what to expect, they relax faster and encounter fewer stressors.
I feel this to be true for me and I see it in the way we all settle in after that first night on the boat, rejoicing at the familiarity of it all.
Anna Cochrane – Mooloolaba Holiday, QLD
We have an annual holiday every January at Mooloolaba. Due to the fact we live so far away from the girls’ school, we tend to fly down, have a holiday, put the girls back into school and then Andrew and I travel home.
It is incredibly valuable family time. Even on the school holidays at home, we are always “at work” and busy so we rarely have any uninterrupted family time. At the coast, we enjoy a blend of relaxing and urban activities. Everything is in one spot. We wander the shops, buy a few new outfits, enjoy fresh seafood and being able to walk to get coffee is a novelty.
Katie Brown – from Broome to Port Douglas to Mooloolaba Holidays
Our family have been lucky enough to live remotely all over Australia so have visited some pretty spectacular places! The Western Australia coast is gorgeous, and Broome is high on the list of great places to get back to. We also love Darwin, although the dry season is definitely the best time to go. There is so much amazing history in both of those places and lots to see and do.
We have really enjoyed trips to the north coast, Port Douglas and the Tablelands are definite favourites. Yungaburra is one of my favourite Tablelands small towns and is really beautiful. We love the Sky-rail and train, markets, fresh produce, waterfalls, and of course fishing and the beaches.
Since starting boarding, Mooloolaba has become the most requested holiday stay by the kids. The boys often catch up with their mates there and it’s all in close proximity to the beach and shops for them to poke around in relative safety. We also enjoy catching up with parents and friends from other schools who we don’t get a chance to see as much anymore.
As long as we have something to do or see, and somewhere to relax we are pretty content!
From houseboats on the Murray to coastal rituals in Mooloolaba and much-loved returns to the north, these stories all point to the same thing: holidays don’t have to be big or new to be meaningful. Familiar places, fewer decisions and time spent together often matter most — especially for families navigating the boarding school journey.
