Victorian Government opens consultation on new Mallacoota Kindergarten

During the 2019/20 summer of bushfires, the Mallacoota community experienced significant property damage with one of the buildings suffering extensively being the Mallacoota Kindergarten. 

Today, Victorian Minister for Education James Merlino and Member for Eastern Victoria Jane Garrett opened community consultation to find out what the community wants in their new kindergarten.

The Victorian Government has worked with East Gippsland Shire Council and Mallacoota P-12 College to develop two options – rebuilding the kindergarten on the existing Greer Street site, or creating a larger two-room modular facility at Mallacoota P-12 College. Both options include high-quality fit-for-purpose facilities with outdoor play spaces and landscaping.

Partnering with key stakeholders including the East Gippsland Shire Council, the service provider, the Parents Advisory Group and Mallacoota P-12 College to deliver the new kindergarten options, the Victorian Government has provided $2.5 million to establish or reinstate a purpose-built kindergarten building in Mallacoota, as soon as possible. 

Families at Mallacoota Kindergarten will also be eligible for a bushfire Kindergarten Fee Subsidy so local children can attend Four-Year-Old Kindergarten programs for free. Additional financial assistance has also been provided to the service to support the delivery of the kindergarten program, including replacing damaged toys and books and engaging additional staff.

The consultation period begins on Tuesday 2 June and will run until Tuesday 16 June, with community members invited to visit the engage website and have their say. 

Community members can also complete the survey over the phone, or request a hard copy and a self-addressed envelope from the Victorian School Building Authority on 1800 896 950.