A new outdoor play space has been completed at Gisborne’s Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre, providing more outdoor learning and fun for kindergarteners.
Funded by a Victorian School Building Authority Building Blocks Refurbishment and Minor Works grant of $360,000, Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP, officially opened the new playground on Friday 3 May.
The new playground extends the existing play spaces and features nature-based play elements, a sculpture of ‘Bunjil the Creator’ (a wedge-tailed eagle), a stage for performances, and a yarning circle, alongside traditional play equipment.
Council’s Director Community, Maria Weiss, thanked the Victorian Government for their contribution and supporting Early Years services in the Macedon Ranges.
“A key priority area in our Municipal Early Years Plan 2021-2025: CREATE is that children’s needs are recognised in infrastructure and the built environment,” she said.
“A key theme of this is to actively seek and respond to opportunities for children to play, explore, solve problems, communicate, think, create and construct.
“This fantastic new outdoor space definitely ticks those boxes and will ensure a nature-based learning environment where children can play, learn, grow and thrive for many years to come.”
Mary-Anne Thomas MP said the funding from the Victorian Government helped local councils and early childhood services to improve their kindergartens and help set them up for the future.
“We’re pleased to deliver unprecedented investment in early childhood services so our local kids can get the most out of our great kindergartens,” Ms Thomas said.
Registrations are currently open for 2025 across Council’s eight kindergartens. Families are encouraged to register before 31 May.
“Demand for our kindergartens can be high, so we encourage families to register by this date to have the best chance of being offered a place,” Ms Weiss said.
Those who register by 31 May will go into a draw to win a six-month family swim pass or 12 months (four terms) of swimming lessons at Gisborne or Kyneton aquatic centres.
Tours of all kindergartens are also available on Tuesday 14 May and Thursday 16 May from 4:30-5:30pm. Registrations are essential.
