It can be a hard case to argue… that your children should be subsidised to attend a private boarding school. But when you live in rural and remote Australia, boarding school is really the only option.

The Federal Government doesn’t fund state boarding schools (and you could only imagine the expense if they did). So if you are running a farm 600 kilometres away from the nearest high school, your only option is an expensive private school or distance education. But how many teenagers do you know, want to hang out with their Mum and Dad all the time?

Yes, some farmers can draw down on their land assets to help afford private schooling. But what about the wage earners in town? Many of them are forced to leave small towns, so their children can go to school in the cities. This has a huge knock-on effect for rural communities. So is there a way to make it easier for everyone?

Hear from:

*Louise Martin - President, Isolated Children’s Parent’s Association. Louise lives on a sheep and cattle property 30km from Tambo, in QLD. She is the mother of twins.

*Alana Moller - lives on a cattle station in central, west of Clermont, QLD. She is the mother of children at boarding school.

Louise and Alana share the realities of what it’s like to send your children to boarding school. From the fees, to the restrictions… and simply not being able to see your child every morning. These mothers share it all.

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