Ending on a high

August 5, 2024

For Charlotte Ostwald, her last year in Boarding School is bittersweet.


Head Boarder, Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Ostwald, has wasted no time in making the most of her final year in the MacLaren tartan.


‘It’s been a massive year, but such a rewarding one. Now that we are coming to the end, I have been reminiscing about Fairholme’, says Lottie.


Between Lottie’s dual leadership roles as Head Boarder and Equestrian Captain, being one of Australia’s top ranked Combined Training Equestrian riders, and chasing her aspiring career goals, Lottie is most proud of her work she’s done in the Boarding House to support the wellbeing of her fellow boarding sisters.


‘With the help of the Boarder Prefects, I’ve tried to concentrate on the mental health aspect of Boarding. Being a Boarder is lots of fun most of the time, but it can be very hard sometimes being away from your family. As a Boarder, you have to find new support systems.


‘Through addressing mental health publicly and our Boarders’ gift project, we have focussed on bringing the girls from all grades together. I want each girl to know that they are supported and if they are struggling, they’re not alone and can reach out for help.


‘This year round tables were introduced to the Dining Room to help the girls build connections and foster a sense of belonging. This small change has certainly made a big difference. So much so that mealtimes are now much louder with all the talking.’


While being extremely fulfilling, juggling multiple leadership roles along with her academic and sporting commitments hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Lottie.


‘I’m not the most naturally organised person. I’ve had to really work on improving my time management skills to balance it all. I still feel that I have a long way to go, but challenging myself this year has helped me to improve a lot.’


As we race towards the end of the year and the many lasts for our class of 2024 cohort, Lottie still has so much to look forward to, including her final time competing at the Australian Interschool Equestrian Championships.


Lottie earnt herself a spot in the Queensland Equestrian team following her achievement of not one, but two Queensland titles in high level classes. She was also acknowledged for her contributions and etiquette, being named as the Senior award winner by the Event Officials.


‘At Nationals, I am competing in my favourite discipline, Combined Training, which involves jumping and dressage. I have in the past done well at Nationals and although I’ll be putting in my best effort, I’m focussing more this time on enjoying my final experience and soaking up the electric atmosphere.


‘I’ve loved being part of Fairholme Equestrian team, particularly as Captain this year. When I first started in Year 7, it was a small team and we’ve all grown together. It’s been great to follow each of the team members’ journeys and the growth of the team.


‘It’s really satisfying seeing the girls’ flourishing and achieving new personal bests. Everyone has worked so hard together as a team, cultivating a really supportive environment where everyone wants to do their best.


‘The team has done so well this year winning the Lorette Wigan Cup for the fourth consecutive year which is awarded to the Champion Equestrian Secondary School at the Interschool Queensland Championships.


‘I am in two minds about my final days at school. I am so excited to move onto a new chapter in my life, however it’s going to be very hard to

say goodbye to Fairholme.


“I will miss seeing my friends every day and it will be sad to farewell the teachers that have helped me so much.


‘Next year I’ll be hanging up the competitive Equestrian reigns for a little while to focus on university. I hope to gain entry to study Law and

Commerce at UQ. I’m thinking I might want to work in Commercial Disputes one day or may be even go into Politics.’


Wherever life’s path ends up taking you Lottie, we’re sure you’ll continue to shine.



More News…

Meet our Coordinator of High Performance Coaching

March 4, 2026
Fairholme College is delighted to welcome Mr Mitch Koina as our new Coordinator of High Performance Coaching. Bringing more than a decade of experience across diverse educational settings, Mitch joins the community with a strong commitment to student wellbeing, participation, and performance. ‘This is my 12th year of teaching,’ Mitch shares. ‘I’ve done a range of different contexts now, I did two years down at Lockyer District High School, I then spent six years at St Mary’s College before moving to St Josephs, where I’ve been for the last three years. Now obviously I’ve made my way over to Fairholme which I’m really excited about.’ It was both the College’s reputation and the scope of the role that drew Mitch to Fairholme. ‘Fairholme is a very prestigious college, it’s got a great name and reputation,’ he said. ‘The role itself is really exciting for me. I’ve got a passion for fitness and particularly looking after the wellbeing of young girls, whether that be on the sporting field or with their social aspect, academics, just all round developing good girls on and off the court.’ A strong advocate for pastoral care, Mitch brings valuable leadership experience to the position. ‘I did a Head of House role at St Mary’s for three and a half years, so pastoral care has always been my calling so it’s great to tie in the sporting aspect as well as wellbeing,’ he explained. His philosophy centres on the connection between student wellbeing and performance. ‘It’s all dependant on each other. If we’ve got girls who are happy and their wellbeing is flourishing, then they are doing well on the sporting field and vice versa too.’ Looking ahead, Mitch is focused on building both excellence and enjoyment within the program. ‘I would love to get participation rates very high. We have a lot of elite athletes here that I want to achieve and do really well, but I also want to work on girls enjoying their training, coming in and having a nice vibe around the sporting field and the training.’ Importantly, Mitch emphasises that success looks different for every student. ‘We’re not all Australian representatives, but if girls are working really hard and achieving to the best of their potential, whatever level that may be in the sporting arena, I think that’s a program we can be very proud of.’ As he begins his journey at Fairholme, Mitch is eager to connect with the community. ‘I’m really excited to be a part of Fairholme, it is a great opportunity. The staff and the students have been fantastic to me so far, but as the weeks go on, I’m really looking forward to getting to know the girls and building some relationships from there.’ We warmly welcome Mitch to Fairholme and look forward to the energy, care, and expertise he will bring to our High Performance Sports program.

Meet 2026 Prefect for Sport: Scarlett Sippel

March 4, 2026
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.

Meet 2026 Prefect for The Arts: Claire Murphy

March 4, 2026
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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