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Early Years strategic plans, projects and frameworks

Information about early years strategic plans, projects and frameworks in Greater Bendigo.

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Early Years in Greater Bendigo

Children need access to early years education. The City and State Government are working together to help achieve this. Access to infrastructure and quality educators are essential to support this outcome.

In 2025, Greater Bendigo had 24 Long Day Care providers and 27 standalone kindergartens in operation.

Greater Bendigo City Council has the following roles in the provision of funded kindergarten:

Infrastructure owner

  • Council owns or manages on behalf of Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action 17 kindergarten buildings
    • 12 are licenced to Shine Bright EYM
    • 5 are licenced to Y Kinders EYM.

Service operator

  • Council owns, manages and operates two long day care services that include kindergarten programs – Annie Galvin ELC and Helen Jessen ELC.

The City has an Early Years Infrastructure Framework. This provides the strategic guidance needed to plan, deliver and maintain this infrastructure. Complementary to this work is the production of a Kindergarten Infrastructure Services Plan and an Early Years Workforce Plan 2024-2029. Both of these have been funded by the Department of Education.

State Government reforms

The Victorian Government has committed to the rollout of three-year-old kindergarten (up to 15 hours of funded kindergarten) for all children by 2029. Four-year-old kindergarten is transitioning to ‘Pre-Prep’ (a universal, 30-hour a week program of play-based learning). Pre-Prep will be rolled out in Greater Bendigo from 2032.

For more information about the Best Start, Best Life reforms, visit:

Victorian Government: The Best Start, Best Life reforms

Early Years Infrastructure Framework

The Early Years Infrastructure Framework is the City’s plan for the buildings and spaces that need to support young children and families to access quality education and care. This plan seeks to provide a strategic framework to ensure that the supply of infrastructure fits contemporary purposes, and there is adequate supply to meet demand, optimising developmental and learning outcomes for children.

Early Years (capital) projects

Spring Gully Kindergarten

The City received funding from the Department of Education and undertook detailed design for the possible expansion of the Spring Gully Kindergarten to a 99-place facility.

Unfortunately, the City did not receive funding to proceed with the build. This project has been put on hold.

Marong Community Hub and Kindergarten project

The first stage of the kindergarten and community hub project has been delivered with $5.5M funding from the Victorian Government. Marrungi Wayaparra Kindergarten is operational and helping meet the educational needs in the region. Stage 2 of the Kindergarten and Community hub project is unfunded and may be a number of years until it is delivered.

Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan

The Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan provides an analysis of future needs, including the projected unmet demand for three-year-old kindergarten and pre-prep places from 2022-2036.

This analysis is used to support infrastructure and workforce needs for future planning in early childhood education, as well as those delivering early education programs.

Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan (PDF, 845KB)

Early Years Workforce Plan

The Early Years Workforce Plan is a five-year plan that supports the supply of the workforce required to deliver the continued scale up of three-year-old kindergarten between 2024 and 2029 and prepares for the roll out of pre-prep from 2032.

This plan considers the role of local government, key stakeholders and partners, current workforce status, reviews gaps and needs and provides recommendations to address these.

Early Years Workforce Plan (PDF, 1585 KB)

ARACY Greater Bendigo Early Years Project

In 2024, the City engaged Australia Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) to undertake a comprehensive research and analysis project. It explored opportunities to influence the local Early Years sector, mobilise positive change within the community and improve outcomes across generations for Greater Bendigo’s children, families and community alike.

To view the full report, visit:

ARACY Greater Bendigo Early Years Project

Read more

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