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June 30, 2017

  Launch of 100 Years at Fairholme

More than 160 people returned the Fairholme College Assembly Hall to help celebrate the Launch of 100 Years at Fairholme in 2017. Memories were shared, Old Girls performed, Artwork depicting those memories was unveiled, and our oldest living student shared her story.


100 candles lined the steps to the Assembly Hall, representing the milestone Fairholme College is about to reach. Former students and staff members joined with current families to share old and new memories of the College that became ‘Fairholme’ in 1917.


Old Girls, Meg Hamilton and Alice Neldner sang, while trio Matilda Watkins, Georgia Shine and Emma Lumsden returned to play the piano, violin and cello together, as they did in Year 3.


Principal, Dr Linda Evans revealed the plans already in place for 2017, including the College’s first Art Exhibition, Facets of Fairholme, which will see artists with a connection to Fairholme create a piece that depicts their time or memories at Fairholme.


Acclaimed Artist and Fairholme Old Girl, Di McIntyre unveiled her painting, that portrays her memory of the old school ground. Despite becoming a successful and well renowned artist, Di revealed she was nervous at the thought of the unveiling, and questioned whether it was good enough for her “Fair Holme”. There was applause throughout the hall, as the Tartan sheet was lifted.


99 Year Old, Jean Le Brocq (nee Denhert) shared her stories of the early 1930s at a College where she was taught good manners, and to always sit up straight.


Janine Haig, renowned Bush Poet and former Fairholme Parent, performed her poem, One Hundred Footsteps, she wrote for the school as it enters its 100th Year.


One hundred years of footsteps

One hundred years of footsteps echo up and down these halls;

One hundred years of memories resounding from these walls;

One hundred years of laughter and of longing and of tears;

One hundred years of learning how to face the world and fears.


The Homestead where it started, remaining firm and strong,

Embracing many secrets for the students who belong

Within its solid framework, both now and long ago;

Girls skipping up the stairway - ten steps and one to grow.


Six little pairs of feet trod up the stairs on that first day;

Six nervous little faces trooped inside to lead the way

For so many, later others; six thousand and then more,

Young hearts and minds that came to find a new world to explore.


There are boarders, there are day girls in a city/country blend,

A gathering of talents in the students who attend

Through the passing of the decades, as the numbers ebb and flow,

Feet treading up the stairway - ten steps and one to grow.


A century of schooling and a century of care –

Young girls who turn to women in the years that they are there;

Girls who come with attitude, resentment and distrust,

While others come with confidence and easily adjust.


The College has expanded and embraced the modern ways,

Yet holds to old traditions, and the centre of it stays

In the Homestead where it started, built so long ago,

The doorway calling softly - take ten steps with one to grow.


Janine Haig

Our Stories

Georgina Hopson (2007)

By Jai Warner • June 30, 2017
Teachers at Fairholme always knew Georgina Hopson was bound for greatness. 

Paige Garland (1984)

By Jai Warner • June 30, 2017
Embrace your school and all the opportunities it offers you. 

Samantha Lenton (2017)

By Jai Warner • June 30, 2017
Studying Criminology, majoring in Forensic Science. 
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Meet our Coordinator of High Performance Coaching

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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

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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.

Meet 2026 Prefect for The Arts: Claire Murphy

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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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