A Holiday Like No Other

Holidays are a time to relax and recharge, and for many of our international students, that means traveling home to spend time with their family and friends.

Unlike other years, with travel bans, mandatory quarantine periods, and social distancing protocols in place, Toorak College kept Joan Ansett Hall open and the majority of our boarding students opted to spend their April holidays with us.

Throughout the two weeks, girls were able to unwind in a safe and familiar environment, consolidate friendships, and strengthen the bonds they have with each other.

With the opportunity to celebrate Easter in Australia, girls were so excited to participate in a school-wide egg hunt after the Easter Bunny had visited. Our girls love performing with their friends and never has Joan Ansett Hall seen more karaoke or Tik Tok dancing! They stayed active with a series of pilates and yoga classes on the wellbeing deck, and spent time in the kitchen cooking and sharing their favourite recipes from home.

Having recently started a knitting club, many girls choose to spend their time designing and knitting colourful blankets that were then donated to the Chemotherapy Day Unit of the Frankston Hospital.

It was fantastic to see all Toorak girls enjoying spending time together, engaging with each other, and looking out for one another. I am so proud of how they have navigated their way through these difficult times away from their family. They have remained optimistic, grateful, resilient, and kind.

Mrs Francis O’Brien - Acting Head of Boarding

Living with 60 Sisters

Living in Joan Ansett Hall feels like you are living with 60 sisters under one roof. From what we have heard from the many Toorak Collegians who lived here before us, while the facilities may have been renovated over recent years, the feeling you get living here has not changed.

The best thing is that you never feel alone. There is always someone around to cheer you on and help you through the good days and the bad days. Having the support of our friends has been especially important this year and we are all making the most of our isolation time together.

Living at Toorak challenges girls in many ways. Our home is a cultural melting pot and we get to learn and understand about cultures, traditions and even foods that are completely different to our own. When we aren’t studying, we enjoy our leisure time, and celebrating festivals is one of the best parts of boarding. There is always an occasion to celebrate Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Halloween, Kris Kringle, Easter, Birthdays - and we love experiencing these traditions together.

Annie F and Lily Y - Joan Ansett Hall Captains