Life as a Boarder
Location
The Boarding House is situated in the heart of the Senior School campus, two minutes from the Swan River and five minutes from the Indian Ocean in the leafy suburb of Mosman Park, with a backyard that provides countless opportunities for our girls before and after school. The St Hilda’s Boarding environment creates the perfect home away from home.
I’ve had the privilege of working in the St Hilda’s Boarding House for the last 7.5 years. No two girls are the same and getting to watch them grow as women is so rewarding. Many girls with different personalities living together keeps me on my toes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way
Razina Dowson, Boarding House Assistant
Home away from Home
Your room includes a large desk space and loads of storage, including a large cupboard with shelves and hanging space, perfect for clothes, belongings and memories of home.
The Boarding House is divided into five sections; Balla Balla, Durack, Molloy, Margaret and Capel; named after areas in regional Western Australia, with each having a designated weekday and weekend supervisor.
Each area has light filled living and kitchen areas, with breakaway study nooks and cosy seating areas. We have a large recreation lounge area for all years, which is great for weekend cooking and watching movies or footy on the big screen.
Recreational and Cocurricular Activities
Boarding students have access to over 80 clubs, committees and cocurricular including IGSSA sport. A weekend Recreational Officer oversees activities and social events including movie nights, discos, cooking competitions, excursions as well as activities organised with other Boarding Schools across Perth.
In addition to planned recreational activities, the girls are free to take walks along the beautiful Swan River or go shopping at the local shopping strips including Mosman Park, Cottesloe and Claremont. As students progress through the year levels, they are granted more freedom for outings outside the boarding house, including shopping trips to Subiaco, Fremantle or the city, or dinner leave for students in Year 12.
Catering
Nutritionally balanced meals for the boarding community are provided by a professional caterer seven days a week. Of an evening, Boarders come together and eat as a community in the dining room, while flexible breakfast and lunch times allow students to take part in cocurricular activities while still fitting in a healthy and filling meal. During the school day, boarders collect their lunch and recess from the dining room, before choosing to sit anywhere on the school grounds – meaning students are free to enjoy meals with their day student friends.
In addition to prepared meals for girls at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack times, in the boarding house there are also food storage facilities, for day-to-day use, and cooking facilities, which girls can use on weekends, under supervision. From preparing a milo in the afternoon to home-made muffins on the weekend, girls have the chance to enjoy a taste of home.