Welcome back to our series ‘A ROAD TO MOUNT ISA’.

This week we are having the most authentic real time chat with Genevieve McDonald. Gen is from Cloncurry in north west Queensland - well about 40 minutes south of Cloncurry on their family cattle station Brightlands.

However, I caught up with Gen while she was at mini school at Gregory - about 6 hours north west of her home.  It was a hot day up north and she’d just had to do a bit of mechanical engineering to get the generator started again to ensure the caravan she was in had air con. She explained that living where they live necessitates that the Mums are definitely jack of all trades.

This conversation is peppered with lively interruptions that honestly illustrate life in remote QLD - from coordinating flight logistics with hubby Alistair who was on his way to Gregoryl with the very important Year 6 Graduation cake to being shown mini school creations by an enthusiastic daughter Eliza. 

We talked about the joys of mini schools which bring the kids together to learn and create and ultimately play - whether it’s a drama performance or swimming in the river after school. For these kids that learn in isolation these weeks are so so special. 

The conversation led to boarding school and the opportunities for our most remote families when it comes to offering their kids a different experience to one that they’re used to and the very real role our Isolated Children’s Parents Association plays in advocacy for families from these regions of Australia.

Our chat centred around the 25th Anniversary of Sports for Bush Kids week which, as you’ll learn, gives the kids their first taste of a variety of sports, music, drama and dance. And we’re heading up with 14 schools from all over Queensland to join the families in early December, we can’t wait.

Enjoy my time with Genevieve McDonald.

Thank you to Courtney Dunn for editing the podcast.

Brightlands Station: https://www.mdh.net.au/brightlands.html

Boarding Expo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Boarding Expo 365: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://boardingexpo365.vfairs.com/⁠