From the Principal

WELCOME TO FAIRHOLME:

an [extra] ordinary education.

When Margaret Cameron sold the land on which Fairholme College stands to the Presbyterian Church of Queensland, more than one hundred years ago, she did so on the proviso that this would become a school for girls. Such was Mrs Cameron’s conviction regarding the importance of education and particularly quality education for girls, that she also bequeathed half of the sale price. That this occurred during the uncertainty of the first World War gives greater credence to her vision and her determination that this dream might come to fruition.

Mindful of this important history, I welcome you to Fairholme College – a school that cares about its students, each one; well beyond their academic success and well beyond the gates they depart each year as they step confidently into their futures. Our College motto – ‘Ardens sed Virens’ – (burning yet flourishing) encapsulates the spirited heart of our College: spirit drawn from our Christian foundations. We are proudly a College of the Presbyterian Church in Queensland, an all-girls’ K – 12 day and boarding school with a co-educational kindergarten that seeks excellence for each and every student. 

Perched on the edge of the Toowoomba escarpment, you just have to step into our beautiful grounds, and you know that Fairholme is not an ordinary school. It’s a school that celebrates its pursuit of excellence in academic, cultural and sporting fields whilst maintaining a clear commitment to active service – giving back at a local and international level. Yet, as a school founded on restorative justice principles, emphasis is placed upon a robust pastoral care system that focuses on fostering and growing strong relationships. Importantly, as one of Australia’s largest all girls’ boarding schools for girls from rural and remote areas, our ethos of choosing the hard over the easy, is strengthened by our rural families who know what it means ‘to go the extra mile’ both literally and metaphorically. We value this mix of boarding and day students and place importance on maintaining this enrolment balance. 

One measure of a school’s success is the way in which their graduates finish and the hope with which they face their futures. Our school-leavers are invariably optimistic, confident, determined young women who expect to do well in whatever field of study, or vocation that they choose. They understand and exhibit perseverance, tenacity, and persistence. Ultimately, they carry the legacy of all who have climbed Mrs Cameron’s homestead stairs before them, and they remain inextricably linked to all who have journeyed at Fairholme. 

We welcome your visit to our beautiful campus, and our (extra) ordinary school at any time. Here, you can gain a greater sense of what it means to be a Fairholme girl: burning yet flourishing.

Kind regards

Dr Linda Evans | EdD, MA, BEdSt, Dip T, MACE, MACEL