Couple seek Council support to open ECEC service in WA’s Mt Barker

Joanne and Andrew Talmage are seeking Council approval to establish a 24-place early childhood education and care (ECEC) service in the Western Australian suburb of Mt Barker to meet local demand. 

The couple hope to open the new service, Skylar Early Childhood Education and Care, in the first half of 2023 at the corner of Lowood Road and Short Street.

With plans to operate the service between 7.30am to 6.30pm catering for children aged birth to five years of age, Skylar would become the second licenced service in the town, joining Plantagenet Early Learning and Development Centre, which is operated by Wanslea and also has a 24-place capacity.

Services in Mt Barker, Ms Talmage said, were facing a high level of demand with a wait list for the existing service, leaving families travelling half an hour or more for support.

A report prepared for councillors said that because the proposed centre was in an area zoned for commercial use, a public comment period would be required for approval to be granted, as well as recommending that councillors accept a $45,000 cash payment in lieu of providing ten parking spaces at the Shire’s rate of $4,500 per bay.

The proposed service, which is to be located in the former site of the town’s Westpac bank, which closed in 2018, will be refitted for ECEC use. The rear of the building is an old house, and the kitchen of the space will be turned into a commercial kitchen to cater for the children. 

A large yard in the service will be worked on to ensure it is safe for the needs of the children. To read local coverage of this story, please see here.