From her home in Alice Springs we talk about life growing up on a cattle station in the Northern Territory, the beginning of her education with School of the Air and then her tumultuous journey through boarding school in Adelaide.
Sadly for Tanya her experience of boarding school in the 70’s was not a good one – we acknowledge that the practices within boarding schools have changed dramatically over the decades and while her time was fraught with cruel staff and overbearing rules, she recognises that her friendships made at boarding school remain life long and the education she received literally opened up the world to her.
I want to say here, that boarding school in Australia today has transformed into nurturing dynamic and engaging communities for the most part. That stories like Tanya’s are rare indeed, and that the way we educate our youth has also changed. Interestingly the boarding school Tanya attended no longer exists – that’s saying something isn’t it ?
I guess the reason we wanted to chat to her was because she’s led a super interesting life, from the outback to life as a lawyer, to Prague as an English teacher and back again to beautiful Alice Springs. And despite her experience she absolutely credits her education and boarding school experience as the starting block for adventures.
Tanya was so easy to chat to, she’s warm and engaging and her books are an absolute tribute to the chapters of her diverse life.
If you’re keen to read her memoirs they are Alice to Prague (2019), An Alice Girl (2020) and Beyond Alice released last year 2021.
Enjoy this conversation with Tanya Heaslip.