The Hester Hornbrook and Her Ladies Podcast

Episode 3 - Hester Hornbrook Academy: Hope Reborn

The remarkable conclusion brings Hester Hornbrook's 1860s vision into 2026. Dr Roslyn Otzen and Sally Lasslett, Executive Principal of Hester Hornbrook Academy, reveal stunning parallels: the same commitment to disadvantaged youth, the same innovative spirit, the same refusal to give up. Sally describes the modern reality—15-25-year-olds with trauma, justice involvement, social anxiety so severe they can't leave bedrooms—and how HHA's revolutionary HOPE model (Healing Oriented Program of Education) transforms lives with multidisciplinary teams in every classroom. From 90 students in 2019 to 1,200 by 2027 across multiple purpose-built campuses, the Academy proves education can be done differently. Young parents bring babies to class. Students who couldn't write their names graduate and plan teaching careers. The untapped market Hester identified 165 years ago remains vast—and her legacy is finally scaling.

Episode 2 - The Ladies Who Built Schools

How does one elderly widow establish nine schools in under three years? Dr. Roslyn Otzen reveals the extraordinary network of women who made Hester Hornbrook's vision reality—from Margaret Peppers, an army widow who married a convict, to Maryanne Badco, who manipulated legal restrictions by having her bank manager husband "stand in" so she could build an orphanage. These weren't wealthy philanthropists sitting in drawing rooms—they were hands-on managers who visited schools daily, sewed clothes with children, and organised mothers' clubs. Episode two profiles the tough Scottish women, young unmarried daughters, and determined widows who ran all-female committees, raised every penny themselves, and kept these revolutionary schools operating for sixty years after Hester's death in 1862, despite having no legal rights, no public voice, and no government support.   (02:40) Committee structure revealed: eight to ten women running each school, one present daily (17:00) Hester's iron will: sacking the beloved missionary for drinking, overruling the men's committee (23:20) Maryanne Badco's genius: using her husband as legal front while she built an orphanage (30:00) Eliza Fraser: unmarried secretary for 30 years, "worthily bears the mantle of Mrs. Hornbrook" (42:20) Hester's dying wish: that her schools be preserved—the ladies kept them running 50 more year

Episode 1 - Hester Hornbrook - Forgotten Founder of Melbourne's Social Care

Discover the extraordinary story of Hester Hornbrook, a frail widow on a tiny army pension who became Melbourne's unsung hero. Dr Roslyn Otzen, educator, former principal, and author, reveals years of detective-like research uncovering how Hester established nine schools in just a few years during the chaotic 1850s gold rush—when Melbourne's population exploded from thousands to 300,000 with virtually no infrastructure. This episode explores the remarkable women who created Melbourne's first social support systems when government provided nothing, organised 2,000-signature petitions when women had no public voice, and fought for underprivileged children amid poverty and disease. Dr Otzen's meticulous historical work connects this forgotten legacy to today's Hester Hornbrook Academy, continuing revolutionary approaches to education for disadvantaged youth across Victoria. (00:00) Introduction: Who was Hester Hornbrook and why does her story matter today? (11:40) Melbourne during the gold rush: chaos, death, and 300,000 people descending on an unprepared settlement (26:00) The radical 2,000-signature temperance petition: how women gained power when they had none (38:40) Founding the Ladies Melbourne City Mission: Hester takes radical control (42:00) The beginning of nine schools: missionaries discover children who cannot read