Families in the small rural Victorian town of Wycheproof will now have access to more kinder places with a new early learning centre officially opened by Member for Northern Victoria, Mark Gepp, early last week. 

The centre is located on the grounds of Wycheproof P-12 College, and has been built using modular construction.

The early learning centre includes a 22-place kindergarten room, long day care room for 12 children and a maternal child health consultation room, along with a 550 square metre of outdoor education space.

Wycheproof Kindergarten and Child Care Centre, operated by the YMCA, has relocated into the new centre, with construction and fit out made possible via a $700,000 investment by the Victorian government, with Buloke Shire Council contributing $500,000. A further contribution of $20,000 was provided by the centre’s Parent committee.

The project is one of 127 successful grant recipients to share in $46.9 million through the Building Blocks capacity building and improvement grants streams, which provide new kindergarten places and improve learning environments.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 invests a further $38.5 million into the Building Blocks grants program, which supports early childhood providers to build and improve early learning facilities for three- and four-year-old funded kindergarten services, create inclusive kindergarten settings and deliver tech devices to eligible services.

In addition, to support local jobs and provide economic stimulus to aid recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, a further $30 million is being invested via the Refurbishment and Minor Works Program, which will deliver projects that will lift the character and condition of early childhood centres. 

To access more information about the funding, or to make an application, please see here.