THE Tooleybuc Preschool community is celebrating the official opening of its brand-new $400,000 building, marking a major milestone for early childhood education in the region.
Funded through the NSW Government’s Start Strong Capital Works grants program, the project was one of 18 awarded across the state in 2022.
The funding application was prepared by Swan Hill based grant writers Equipment Solutions Plus on behalf of the preschool, enabling the construction of a 25-place additional building at the Cadell Street site.
Preschool director Larissa Andrews said the project’s completion is a dream come true.
“The children have loved watching our new building develop and seeing all the machinery needed,” she said.
“We would like to give a big thank you to ESP for all of their advice and leadership in making our dream a possibility.
“We are all looking forward to playing in there.”
The new facility will allow Tooleybuc Preschool to deliver the full 15-hour-per-week program for three-year-olds, increasing from the current 10 hours limited by space constraints.
Tooleybuc Preschool caters for children from NSW and Victoria, including Balranald, Boundary Bend, Nyah, Nyah West, Piangil, Kyalite, and other surrounding communities.
With no childcare or three-year-old kinder services nearby and Swan Hill’s centres facing waitlists of more than 18 months, the expansion offers a critical boost for local access.
The new building features a children’s playroom, kitchenette, toilets for staff and children, a staff office, meeting room and storeroom, all positioned alongside the existing building.
The new facility means more children can begin developing social, emotional, language and cognitive skills in a supportive local setting, providing stability for both children and families.
Preschool association president Amy Standen said the investment will have a lasting impact.
“Our children are already so lucky to be attending a preschool like Tooleybuc, where they are welcomed and supported to grow and play,” she said.
“The new building will reinforce this, and enable our educators to improve the hours and opportunities our children have.
“On behalf of the association, we are very grateful to everyone involved, especially Larissa and ESP.”
ESP project manager Bronwyn Hogan described the development as “a wonderful collaborative project” and praised the preschool’s commitment to providing an inclusive environment where children can “be their best.”
The official opening took place last Friday with staff, families and community members gathering to celebrate this significant step forward for early learning in Tooleybuc.
Guest speaker and NSW Department of Education senior programs officer, Donna Brooks, said it was “such a pleasure” to be in Tooleybuc celebrating the occasion after years of planning.
“Today’s about community, opportunity, and the future,” she said.
“It’s wonderful to see families from the community coming together to celebrate a facility that will provide the youngest learners with high-quality early education and care.
Ms Brooks highlighted the importance of access to early learning in rural and regional areas.
“The research tells us that 90 per cent of brain development happens before the age of five, and that’s why play-based learning is so powerful,” she said.
“None of this would be possible without our incredible teachers and educators.
“You are the heart of the preschool and bring joy, knowledge and care and consistency into children’s lives every single day.”
