Students in rural and remote areas as well as various Sydney metropolitan locations attended Hurlstone. Enrolment into the school was by a competitive examination. In our time both day and boarding students shared a great sense of pride in the school’s history, and we remain committed to maintaining many of its proud traditions and values. These include the importance of developing leadership skills, a desire to learn, accountability, integrity, trust, and the pursuit of excellence. And we still demonstrate a commitment to the concept of the “Hurlstone family”.

Student and staff leaders demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining Hurlstone’s sense of history as well as a sense of future; these combine as the sources of pride and affection for students of our time. It was evident back then through the solidarity between day and boarding students as well as the banter. This remains apparent, as our particular group of Old Boys, day and boarding, regularly meet for reunions and local area catch-ups.

Some day students lived close by while others travelled many miles on several trains to get to and from school. It was a significant effort for them and their families to ensure they had the very best opportunities at Hurlstone. The part of the school reserved for the boarder population was an outstanding facility for students to expand and enhance their educational opportunities even more. It brought together students from diverse backgrounds and challenges them to learn vital life skills and deeper understanding of people and personal responsibility. It placed boarders into a home away from home environment that encouraged them to become stronger and softer at the same time. They learned how to manage their time. They learned to respect others, their space and their opinions and beliefs. It taught boarders to become more resilient, aware, and collegiate.

Boarding students had direct access to the farm, the dining room, sports field, tennis courts, music, and technology and library facilities (when not assigned to Compulsory Voluntary Service). On and off-site recreation and sporting activities were often organised for boarders both during and outside normal school hours. Our senior teacher, Reg Lang, briefed us early in 1971 that the way to succeed at Hurlstone was to “work hard, play hard and sleep hard”.