101 Years of the MacLaren Legacy: Nessie Hall (Fairholme Old Girl 1941)

March 25, 2025

Nessie Hall  |  1941  |  Stephens House  |  Boarder

The MacLaren tartan has long been woven into the fabric of the Hall family, its threads connecting generations through time. For 101 year old Nessie Hall - Fairholme College’s oldest living Old Girl - the legacy began in 1938 when she started Fairholme as a Year 9 Boarder.


Nessie, born in 1923, arrived at Fairholme from Croydon, via Roma. With few educational opportunities in rural Australia, Nessie and her sister

Joyce, began Fairholme as fresh-faced teenagers with the chance to receive the all-girls’ education their parents had wanted for them. The sisters attended Fairholme at a time in history that was both pivotal and difficult - the Great Depression.


Under the leadership of Miss Daisy Culpin, Principal from 1922-1940, Fairholme not only survived the challenging economic climate but thrived, providing a school for young girls to receive a quality education.


While sitting under the Jacaranda trees in Daisy Culpin Courtyard recently, Nessie recalls one of her favourite memories - walking Miss Culpin’s dog through the College grounds.


‘Miss Culpin was my favourite teacher. I would walk her dog - his name was Tuppence! - around the gardens, in fact, around this very spot where I am sitting.’


Nessie was at Fairholme to witness the graduation of her great-granddaughter, Maggie, from Middle School to Senior School. She marvels at how much the school has changed, and yet how much is the same. ‘The buildings are, of course, very different, but the feeling is just the same,’ Nessie

says. ‘The things that made this place special when I was here - it’s still here. I can feel it.’


Nessie’s legacy has flourished over the years as her granddaughters, Tamie Devine (1992), Angela Hall (1991), Camilla Hall (2009) and

Mikala Reardon (1993), all attended Fairholme, and today her great granddaughters, Maggie Reardon (Year 10) and Pippi Reardon (Year 8)

- Mikala’s daughters - proudly attend Fairholme.


In a moment that connected the past and present, Nessie returned to the school with her grand-daughter, Mikala, to see Maggie graduate Year 9.

She says as they walked up Palm Drive to the Assembly Hall, it was clear that the traditions and community spirit of Fairholme had left a mark on them both.


‘I love that I was able to bring Nessie again to see Maggie graduate Middle School. I have grown up listening to stories about Fairholme, was lucky enough to attend myself, and now with two daughters here, I feel it has come full circle,’ Mikala said. ‘I think my grandmother’s time at

Fairholme helped shape her values and principles that she has carried throughout her life - values she passed down to her children, grandchildren, and now, her great grand-daughters.’


The graduation ceremony was a poignant reminder of the bonds that tie generations together, each standing on the shoulders of those who came before them. Mikala said for Nessie, it was a moment of immense pride - seeing the legacy of learning, strength, and resilience continue in her family.


Nessie’s visit is a reminder that the bonds of Fairholme extend far beyond the school’s walls. As a great-grandmother, Old Girl, and matriarch of a family deeply rooted in Fairholme’s history, she embodies the timeless values that continue to shape the school community.


Her return was a celebration of both the past and the future - as the tartan is woven into their lives, so too is a legacy that will last for years to come, that of a remarkable woman, who walked the same halls a century ago.


1938 - Fairholme friends - Jill Winchester (later Jones)(L) and Nessie Walsh (R) in front of Homestead and bungalow classroom block

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What inspired you to apply for the Prefect for Sport position? I was inspired to go for this position as I have seen the passion that Fairholme as a community has for sport, and the true love and respect the staff have for athletes at the college. I wanted to work closely with the girls and staff to help progressing sport at Fairholme. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport is touch football. It has given me so very much and I am forever grateful. What has been your proudest sporting moment so far? My proudest sporting moment so far was being fortunate enough to represent my country in the sport I love most. Who has been your biggest influence or role model in sport? My biggest role model in sport has to my parents. They never fail to push me towards things that might seem out of my comfort zone or scary. They constantly support me through everything and influence me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. What are you hoping to achieve this year as Prefect for Sport? I aim to inspire everyone to just have a go. By the end of my final year at Fairholme I hope I can inspire people to just get o ut of their comfort zones and try something new. What advice would you give your Year 7 self? I would tell my Year 7 self that in the big picture no one is going to judge you for trying your hardest and giving things ago! And not to put too much pressure on yourself! Do you hope to pursue sport after school? I wish to continue to play sport at a high level after school. whether that is through touch or rugby. Sport is a very important part of my life that will hopefully continue well after I leave school.

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How long have you been involved in The Arts at Fairholme? Since I began here in Year 7, but before then I started playing piano and violin in Year 5. I have participated in a number of ensembles within the school and greatly enjoyed each of these. What does being the Prefect for The Arts mean to you? Personally, I think that being the Prefect for The Arts is primarily a role in which I can help to support other girls. I’m a designated person that girls can come to if they have any questions or concerns with anything regarding extracurricular artistic involvement, and I do a little to help with running some of the artistic aspects around the school, such as finding girls to volunteer for busking at events. But mostly, I think it is about being a positive promoter for the arts, and encouraging other girls to expand their world view to include creativity. Which art form do you enjoy most (e.g. music, drama, visual art, dance etc)? My main art form that I participate in is instrumental music, through my involvement in a few ensembles within the school on violin and piano. However, other art forms, like dancing during March Pasts or singing Shine Jesus Shine are pretty fun too. Do you have a most memorable Arts experience? I think that one of the most memorable Arts experiences that I have had has been at events where I have accompanied my grade, like when all the Year 11’s last year sung at the Valedictorian dinner and I played piano along with other instrumentalists in my grade, Tilly Anderson and Emma Salter. However, I think the most enjoyable Arts experience that I have had is playing Jingle Bell Rock at the boarding Christmas dinner last year, when the rest of my cohort stood around the piano singing. I felt that this was one of those excellent examples of how music can bring people together. What advice would you give to students who might be nervous about joining an arts activity? I would say that it is always worth giving something new a go. You’re much more likely to regret the chances you never took than the ones you do. I’m a strong believer that being involved in any form of extra-curricular activity is so beneficial for everyone; it expands your world view, you meet new people, and get outside your comfort zone. Each individual has something they are good at, and how are you going to find out what that is if you don’t try? Do you hope to continue with The Arts after school? Definitely. It has become such a big part of my life, and I honestly get so much enjoyment out of it. The great thing about the arts is that they are things that you can do at any time of your life. You’re never too old, that’s a skill you have for life. Other people can also get so much enjoyment out of the artistic abilities of others. Who doesn’t love to have someone who can sit around the camp-fire and play guitar, or create a beautiful piece of artwork?
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