25 year celebration for educator Debbie Townley, working for Bluebird since 1997

Freya Lucas

Sep 23, 2022

Save

Early childhood educator Debbie Townley began working for Bluebird Education in 1997, and enjoyed her role so much that she’s remained for 25 happy years.

Having worked in the sector since 1981, when she completed her Diploma, Ms Townley spent time in services across Melbourne, Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga before coming to the Cobram area where she began working with Bluebird.

“It would be my love of children (that’s kept me around) ... you can go to work and sing a song, or be silly, and the children love that,” she told local news source Shepparton News.

“I’ve now worked with some educators who I looked after when they were little and now they’re my colleagues.”

One element of her role which has given her tremendous joy is the lifelong friends she has made in the role, who may have moved on from the service, but with whom she keeps in touch.

In marking her special anniversary, the team at Bluebird Education Cobram said they would be “lost” without her.

“You have shaped so many lives within this community, including some of the educators who now work with you. You have touched the lives of families and children and inspired so many educators,” the team shared.

“Best of all, watching you with the children every single day is inspiring and motivating. We thank you for showing up every day, and being the best role model you can be. We thank the commitment you uphold to out of work hours and the hard work within.”

Approved provider Oxanda Education said Ms Townley was “a national educational hero.”

“Caring, nurturing and educating for families in Cobram for 25 years. Absolutely adored in Cobram and surrounds. An inspiration to all,” Oxanda Education director Adrian Fonseca said.

To access local coverage of this story please see here.

Don’t miss a thing

Childcare centres may have clear rules for staff numbers, but there are loopholes to get around them

There is a growing number of “serious incidents” in Australian early childhood services, including day cares.

What Can Australia Learn from Ontario’s Child Care Ratios?

As workforce pressures continue to shape early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy discussions in Australia, international comparisons provide useful perspectives. Canada’s approach, particularly in Ontario, offers a case study in how educator-to-child ratios, maximum group sizes and qualification requirements can be legislated as an integrated framework.

Burnout in early childhood education: Why leadership support is the missing lever

Early childhood educators have one of the most important jobs in Australia. We trust them to keep our kids safe, to educate them in their most formative years, and to care for them when we can’t do it ourselves. And far too often, educators are doing it all on empty.

Workforce planning in ECEC: from compliance requirement to strategic advantage

With workforce pressures continuing across early childhood education and care (ECEC), a structured approach to workforce planning is emerging as a critical leadership tool, not simply an administrative exercise.

National Early Childhood Worker Register: commencing 27 February 2026

The introduction of the National Early Childhood Worker Register from the 27 February, has signalled a significant shift in workforce oversight across early childhood education and care (ECEC).