Published on: 20 July 2023




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During the holidays Director of Boarding Todd Harnwell and his family toured around the state visiting future boarding students as part of the On Board program.

First stop on the Harnwells’ travels was Badgingarra to visit the Deutscher family on their picturesque farm around two and a half hours north of Perth. They were blown away by the sheer beauty of the property!

Next stop was the Winning Bush Gymkhana. Every year stations from all over the Gascoyne and Pilbara gather for a weekend of competition, fun and games to compete for the title of best station in a variety of horse and tin horse (motorbike) events. Christ Church is extremely well represented in this spectacular show with multiple generations of Old Boys competing with and against one another. This year, Wyloo Station once again took out the title with a number of standout performances from the Thompson boys and their parents. Other highlights for the Christ Church boys were wins for Gordon Davies in the Slow Race, Joe De Pledge in the Barrels, Dusty Walker in the Apple and Bucket Race and Ollie Wardle taking out the Men’s Texas Keyhole.

Following the successful Gymkhana, the Harnwells reached the northern most point of their travels as they made their way to Karratha to visit current and incoming boarders. The perfect weather and fantastic company made the visit a highlight of their journey. Todd and family enjoyed a meal with current Year 8 boarder Oliver and his younger brother Jack (and his own ‘Red Dog’, Murph), who is currently taking part in the On Board program and will join as a Year 7 boarder in 2024. The stunning Dampier coastline was the location for an afternoon of lunch, fun and games as the Harnwells caught up with the Watkins family, with current Year 8 boarder Zach taking great delight in introducing his brothers Kai, Mitch and Jordan for some continuous cricket and kick to kick.

The On Board adventures concluded with a trip to ‘Panna-dise’ with the Rutherfords pulling out all the stops to ensure Todd and his family enjoyed all the wonders that Pannawonica has to offer. Taking in the amazing Pannawonica Hill, the pristine swimming holes along the Robe River, the Boot-Tree and the majestic sunset from their backyard were just a few of the unique offerings of the delightful town. Current Year 8 boarder Kurtis, also took great delight in touring the Harnwells around town on his quad bike, showcasing the rodeo, drive-in and local school.

The Harnwells are extremely grateful to all members of our regional Christ Church community for their gracious hospitality and the opportunity to get a glimpse into the amazing lifestyle, freedoms and independence enjoyed by our current and incoming boarders on a daily basis. You can view the fun activities the Harnwells took part in over the break on our Facebook page.