Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn joined Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM and Councillor Melissa Cadwell yesterday to announce a new strategic Building Blocks Partnership MoU between the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and the City.

The voluntary agreement demonstrates the City’s strong relationship with the Victorian Government to plan, co-fund and work together to deliver kindergarten services in areas of high demand and other community facilities. 

The partnership is set to streamline the approval of the application for a Building Blocks Capacity Building Grant to help build the Lara West East Community Hub and Lauderdale Court Community Hub.

Our planned hub for Wattlebird Drive within the Lara West growth area aims to respond to expected population growth, providing a wrap-around hub that brings together early learning education and health and community services in a single, convenient location. Rooms will be available for community events and programs, activities for older people and youth services, while the kinder is set to provide more than 250 places.

The Lauderdale Court Community Hub will be delivered within the Ashbury Estate on Horseshoe Bend Road, also offering flexible community and health spaces and more than 200 kinder spots. The early learning space will accommodate a rapid increase in young children living in the area. More than 10 per cent of residents in Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed are babies and preschoolers, with another 410 children under four years old estimated to call the area home this year.

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn 

510 new kinder places for one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regions – that’s what this partnership delivers. 

We’re building the services families actually need, closer to home.

Mayor Kontelj 

Our signed MoU is a big win for areas in Greater Geelong that are growing particularly fast and don’t have enough kindergarten places and community facilities.

We’ve identified growing townships Lara West and Armstrong Creek as priority areas which would benefit greatly from hundreds of new kinder spots and community spaces that all ages can enjoy.

Backed by the MoU and with in-principle support from the Victorian Government for a Building Blocks Capacity Building Grant, we have committed to co-fund these integrated community hubs, which will open in 2030.

This is a win for our youngest residents who deserve accessible and quality early years education, right up to young people and adults who can try out dance, exercise or art classes, support groups and events in a convenient location.

The hubs’ layout will be consistent with Council’s integrated planning approach to have early years and health and community services in the one spot.

We’re grateful to the Victorian Government and VSBA for recognising the increasing need for infrastructure in our region as our population increases.