For many families across the New England, sending a child to boarding school is not a luxury. Yet with so many outstanding schools to choose from, finding the right fit can feel overwhelming.
That is why hundreds of local families are expected to make their way to the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre later this month for the 2026 Tamworth Boarding Schools Expo, where 41 boarding schools from across New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland will gather under one roof.
The free two-day event, running on July 24 and 25, is designed to make one of the most significant decisions parents will make for their children a little easier, giving families the chance to compare schools, ask questions and learn about scholarships and bursaries without travelling hundreds of kilometres.
Alongside leading metropolitan schools from Sydney and Brisbane, the expo will also feature familiar regional names including Farrer and PLC Armidale.
The Boarding School Collective Director Amanda Ferrari said the event allows families to look beyond brochures and websites by speaking directly with representatives from each school.
“Access to top-tier education should never be dictated by geography,” Amanda said.
“We understand that choosing a school is a deeply personal decision, but for regional families, the travel required to research options can be both exhausting and financially prohibitive.
“By bringing this free expo to Tamworth, we are eliminating the need for costly, time-consuming travel. Parents can sit down face-to-face with multiple schools in a relaxed environment, finding the perfect educational fit for their child.”
Rather than focusing solely on academic results, families will be able to discuss the individual strengths of each school, from music programs and sporting academies to specialist facilities and boarding life.
The expo also coincides with a significant milestone for The Boarding School Collective’s Spirit of the Bush Foundation, which has announced its inaugural board. Members include Grace Brennan from Buy From The Bush, Bryce Camm AM from Camm Agricultural Group, Oli Le Lievre from Humans of Agriculture, Moira Lanzarin, Immediate Past President of ICPA NT, Emily Harris from Cleveland Agriculture at Mungindi, and Lucy Thomas from W A Baxter & Co Lawyers.
The foundation’s inaugural Spirit of the Bush Scholarship will officially launch later this year and has been created to recognise character, resilience, community involvement and a family’s demonstrated commitment to rural life, while also considering financial need.
According to The Boarding School Collective, the scholarship responds to the “postcode penalty”, where geographic isolation forces families to choose between remaining in their communities and accessing educational opportunities for their children.
The organisation has been helping regional families navigate the boarding school journey since 2005. What began as a single expo in Dubbo involving 15 schools and 60 families has grown into a series of events across Australia that have connected more than 17,000 students with their future boarding schools and supported 7,500 families through the decision-making process.
Families attending the Tamworth expo will receive gift bags and can enter the School of the Expo Award, with one family winning a $10,000 Boarding School Gift.
The Tamworth Boarding Schools Expo will be held at TRECC on Friday, July 24 from 12.30pm to 6pm and Saturday, July 25 from 9.30am to 2.30pm. Entry is free, and you can pre-register online to save time on the day.
More information is available on the Boarding School Collective website.
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